Evil Eyes
by djinni14
Summary: This is the sequel to the story "The Bear and I". It will continue the adventures and lives of the shape shifting Rodgers family. It would be best if you read that story first. Likely will be updated every other day till the end. - NOW COMPLETE
1. Chapter 1

**Evil Eyes 1**

This is a sequel to my story "The Bear and I" It will be necessary for you to read that story first or you will be lost in what is going on in this one.

I'm sorry it has taken so long to start publishing this story. There were a number of complications which required a number of re-writes. Hopefully i have caught everything, but if somehow i missed something let me know and i will fix it and repost that chapter.

The idea is to post daily, but this story is coming along a little slowly and needs frequent re-wites it seems so it may turn into an every other day update.

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 _Late October, 2002 - Ava is 10 weeks old_

Rick was procrastinating and he knew it. His only excuse was that Ava was running around the house in her Amethyst Dragon form while playing with Midas and Maggie. Midas and Maggie were barking while Ava was doing her best to mimic their bark.

He and Kate had already put away things like lamps and other breakables since she had the tendency, being so young, to spread her wings inside. And while the house was big, it wasn't that big. He was also trying to watch TV which wasn't easy in the living room even though he could go downstairs to the theater room. He was a good dad and had to keep an eye on everyone.

"AVA! ...Come here sweetie," he coaxed, trying to get her to come over to him. She had her head down and tail tucked between her legs convinced she had done something wrong. He reached out and pressed her wings to her body. "Wings in inside the house baby girl." He kissed her scaly head. "You can play with Midas and Maggie, just keep the wings in tight." He pressed them in again and let her go play.

The same thing had been on all the channels the entire morning and he was trying to catch up. "Dad?" Alexis was next to help him not write. "DAD?" she tried again and moved to block his view of the TV. _"_ _ **DAD!**_ _"_ Rick blinked his eyes to focus on his older daughter. "What's up pumpkin." She finally had his attention.

"When's Sam coming back over?" Alexis was willing to share Midas and Maggie with her sister, especially since when she was a Bear she was more than a match for a baby Dragon. She really wanted to have someone else to play with though. Her question saddened Rick. He and Kate had talked about that very subject just the other day. Samantha was still coming to spend the night when her mom worked in the office, but she always left in the morning. The only time Sam and Alexis ever had any time together was over breakfast before Kate drove Sam back to the office.

Another problem was they didn't want to crack down on Ava until she got to be too big to run around inside the house as a Dragon. Since only Kate's mother and Oscar knew anything about Ava being a Dragon, they were not yet willing to let Sam stay longer.

They both suspected that Serena and Joanne knew since Joanne was a Mountain Lion and knew the tendency for shifter genes to be dominant. With both parents being shifters it was a no-brainer that Ava would be.

"Go find the phone for me and we can call your mother," Rick said as Alexis squealed and ran for a phone, any phone. Kate may not have given birth to Alexis but all of them saw her as being Kate's and that wasn't going to change, ever.

Alexis crashed into him while jumping up onto the sectional then handed him the first phone she had come across. "Good morning Elizabeth, may I talk to my wife, please," Rick requested. "Hi babe, did I forget something?" Kate didn't know of anything but she had left before he had even gotten out of bed since they had a case to work. "I have someone who wants to ask you something." He handed over the phone to Alexis and heard one of the dogs yelp in pain. "Talk to your mother, I'll be right back." He got up to find out what had happened and if it was necessary, to drive one of the dogs to the vet because Ava had gotten carried away.

"Hi, Mom!" Alexis loved her and was happy to get to talk to her since she didn't get to see her this morning. "Hi, sweetie. I'm sorry I left before you were up this morning. It's just that we have a case that I'm working on and I needed to be in the office early." It was another thing Kate felt bad about.

"That's okay, Mom, you have work. ...Mom, can Sam come over for a sleepover or something? Maybe Paige or Jenny?" What Kate heard was sadness and it hurt her heart. She also heard not only "why can't Sam come over" but all of her friends, which only increased the problem. She just didn't know how to get past that. Kate slumped in her chair. "Please, Mom?" Kate had taken too long to respond. "Go find your father and give him the phone, please." They needed to make a decision. "Dad, Mom wants to talk to you." Alexis held out the phone. "What happened to Midas?" There was blood on the floor and on the dog. Midas and Ava were lying on the floor looking equally guilty.

"I think Ava hurt Midas," Rick told Kate after he walked away, hoping he was far enough away from little ears, leaving Alexis to look after Midas and his wound. "OH NO!" Kate let her head fall onto her desk. "I'm going to take him to the vet and I have to bring Ava and Alexis with me," he said. "Is it bad?" Kate was sure this was her fault. She should have put a stop to Ava running around the house as a Dragon the very first time she had done it. "Bad enough, and Alexis has seen everything." Kate moaned into the phone with her forehead on her desk.

"I can't come home yet. I can't leave this case. Take Alexis and Maggie over to my mother's and take Ava with you to the vet. She needs to see and understand the damage she's done. I'll read her the riot act when I get home. No more running around the house as a Dragon. Actually this may work. Alexis wants her friends to spend the night again and she's been so good since Ava was born. We need to come up with a plan." Kate felt bad that they had procrastinated this long on a decision.

"I need to get going before Midas makes too big of a mess on the floor," Rick told her. "Just go, babe, get Midas to the vet and leave Maggie and Alexis with my mother and Oscar. The restaurant's closed today so they should be home. Call and warn them what's coming their way. We'll talk tonight after I talk to Ava. But for now tell Alexis yes, and that we'll work on a date for her and her friends. Maybe Ava and I will stay with my mother for a night. We'll think of something. Go help Midas, babe." Kate felt bad about being stuck at work but she couldn't help it. "I love you."

"I love you, too. See you tonight. Is Sam coming with you?" Did they have another complication to deal with. Kate let her forehead fall back down on her desk. "Yeah." Their lives had gotten so complicated of late. "Solve your case, babe, I'll handle everything else. I have to go." Rick hung up on her.

"Problem, ma'am?" LT was at her door. "Midas and Maggie got a little too rambunctious and Midas is hurt. Rick's going to take him to the vet. Drop off Maggie and Alexis at my mother's," Kate informed him. "I'm sure he'll be fine. Dogs that get along so well rarely do damage to the other willfully. Here's the background information you asked for." LT entered her office and handed over a folder. "Thanks LT." Kate took the folder and tried to look at it but her mind was on her daughter and what she was going to have to do tonight. It was going to hurt, she wanted her daughter to have fun being a Dragon while she could. As she grew up, being a Dragon was likely going to be more difficult. Plus she still had to wait for her to be older and teach her how to fly.

Rick found Ava in baby form when he made it back to Midas. Alexis was on the floor with the dog, cooing at him while crying at all the blood. Rick could see that while there was blood, there wasn't that much of it and the puddle wasn't getting any bigger.

It took two trips to get everyone in the Expedition then across the road to Jo and Oscar's house which was undergoing a massive remodel downstairs while they lived upstairs. There was even another large dumpster outside that workers were even now throwing debris into.

Jo was bigger but not by much and only those that knew she was pregnant could actually see it. Rick didn't have time to explain much and had to do it on the fly. He had to get Midas into the vet and took Ava with him like Kate had asked.

"Midas will be fine honey." Johanna hugged Alexis who looked none too happy. "There was blood, Grams," Alexis complained, still a little scared. Johanna couldn't help but hug her and kiss the top of her head.

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" _Mommy!"_ _l_ _ittle Katie cried out after she found her precious little kitty missing hair, bleeding_ _,_ _and barely alive. "Night is hurt,_ _M_ _ommy." The tears were flowing fast. Johanna lift_ _ed_ _up her daughter and h_ _e_ _ld her tight while Jim_ _pick_ _ed up the damaged cat_ _,_ _hearing it cry out in pain which was only mimicked by the cry of pain from Kat_ _i_ _e. Johanna ha_ _d_ _done everything she could think of to console her daughter. She even tried getting her to help her make her favorite cookies with her. It didn't help. Kat_ _i_ _e wasn't interested in cookies or being consoled, she wanted her little friend back._

 _From Johanna's point of view Jim was back too soon and without_ _M_ _idnight the cat. "_ _ **NO!**_ _"_ _And his coming back empty_ _-_ _handed had little Katie Beckett running for her room and slamming the door closed with Johanna chasing after her. What she had missed at the time was the small smile that was on her husband's face watching his daughter running away crying and in pain._

 _M_ _uch later that night Jim was sitting on their bed_ _,_ _his head in his hands_ _,_ _bent over and weeping softly. "It's not your fault. Midnight was just hurt too badly." Johanna had only left her daughter after she had finally cried herself to sleep. Now she was consoling her own husband._

 _H_ _owever_ _,_ _Jim shook his head. "You don't understand. I_ _hurt_ _it and threw it in a dumpster knowing its death would be long and painful and that it would hurt Katie." Jim lifted up his head to look_ _at_ _his wife_ _. S_ _he watched_ _his eyes_ _turn a bright red filled with rage. "I killed the filthy animal on purpose and loved it_ _!_ _I even tasted its dying blood." The voice was rough and menacing and Jim grinned_ _, baring his teeth_ _, completely happy with himself. Suddenly the fiery red eyes faded and_ _he_ _was up off the bed and buried himself on the floor in the corner of the room._

" _I'm sorry, Jo, I'm so sorry. I couldn't stop it, I just couldn't." Jim started crying_ _. Immediately_ _his wife's arms_ _were_ _around him and_ _she_ _tried cooing into his ear that she understood. That he wasn't evil. It was a momentary weakness that wouldn't happen again. He was a good man_ _, a good_ _father_ _,_ _and they both loved him._

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"Midas will be fine. It was only a small wound. He'll be up and playing with you, your sister, and Maggie, and even Patch and Thor in no time. You'll see. Your father won't let anything happen to him." Johanna hugged and kissed her while Oscar ran a hand through Alexis's hair.

"How about you come outside with me and look over the construction? I'm going to need your help with the horses when it's done," Oscar said and helped Alexis to stand and walk out back to look over the construction that was happening out back.

Eventually there was going to be one big building. One big barn with three – fourteen feet by fourteen feet stalls on each side, large double doors on each end and a large loft upstairs to hold bale after bale of hay. It only had a concrete floor at the moment, however at some point it would have structural eight inch block walls all around with wood studs to put the insulation into. Over that would be wood and each stall would have a window up high that would be electrically operated to open and let air in with screens to keep the bugs out.

There were going to be two propane fired heaters, one on each end, to keep the barn from freezing. A 100% plastic water heater was going to be installed so that they they had water that didn't freeze during winter. The roof was going to be metal with gutters along each edge that took the water out into the field and away from the building. The floor inside was going to be a rubberized product made from recycled tires so that none of the horses had to deal with slippery concrete floors.

The room with the water heater doubled as a small office to keep track of what they had and what they needed. Several months before the barn was going to be finished a contractor would come in and put up a fence to create pens for the horses.

 **Centaur HTP** _\- equine rail fencing_ _wa_ _s the horse friendly fence. The flexible design of the fence rail ensure_ _d_ _that if a horse pushe_ _d_ _or rushe_ _d_ _the fence, the rail w_ _ould_ _give just enough to prevent injury without compromising the ranch perimeter._ _The_ _exclusive high-tensile polymer bracket with steel reinforced bar_ _wa_ _s indestructible. It even came in three different colors_ _: w_ _hite, black, and dark brown._

 **KleeFLex** **D** **oor** _was another product that was going to be used at each of the barn door openings. It consisted of thick plastic strips that were hung vertically that over lapped each other by three inches. However they parted easily to allow entry and exit. The use of this system helped reduce the loss of cold or hot air as well as help keep flying insects out of the barn. Each strip was easily replaceable when required._

"You think you can help me with the horses? You'll get to ride them anytime you want," Oscar told her. That got Alexis's mind off of Midas and onto riding a horse as she nodded her head enthusiastically, her face wreathed in a huge smile. "We're also going to have cats to help keep the mice away from the horses. Not to worry though, the cats will only be way out here and not in the house. I don't think Thor would approve of having cats in the house." Oscar tried to build mighty little Thor up into a big dog which made Alexis grin while shaking her head. No cats in the house!

It wasn't until later that Rick returned with baby Ava and Midas. The dog was limping, his left rear leg all wrapped up. The other dogs reached him first, checking him out and sniffing everything including his dressing. "Midas?" Alexis worked her way past the dogs to hug her dog. "It's not serious. Yes, Ava bit him but it wasn't that deep and the damage shouldn't be permanent. He's suppose to relax for a week and take his pills." Rick shook the pill bottles to emphasize his point. "He cannot play with the other dogs, Alexis. Understand, he has to be off his leg as much as possible," Rick told her. Alexis hugged Midas and kissed his fur and when he found a place to lay down, she joined him.

Rick sat down with Ava in his lap. "Are you staying for dinner and will Katie make it?" Johanna asked him. "Kate will only be home after they find their guy and they haven't yet." His reply told her what she needed to know so she went into the kitchen to start work on dinner.

"I'm sure she didn't mean it, she loves those dogs and Alexis," Oscar said, giving his opinion. "We know, she just took it too far. The timing's good since Alexis wants to invite her friends over for another sleepover. It would be bad for there to be a baby Dragon running around the house," Rick pointed out. "A baby Dragon who doesn't understand why she can't," Oscar added while Rick nodded.

"By the way, have you seen the news lately? It's been on every channel all day long," Oscar said. Rick shook his head. "I took a break from writing and tried but that was when these three decided to run around the house and play a little rough," Rick admitted, which was code for he wanted not to write and to do something fun. Making an emergency run to the vet wasn't his idea of fun.

Oscar turned on the TV to show him since it was still likely all over every channel. Maybe tomorrow they would find something else to talk about, but for today this was the top story.

Rick was watching and listening, but he came in somewhere around the middle and was missing something. "An entire carrier strike group? For what?" That was where Rick came in and all Oscar told him was to just keep watching. They always went back to the beginning of the story at the top of the hour and added anything new. It took while as Rick watched and listened to all this side information. Where the carrier group was going to be coming from, how long it would take for them to get there, how many ships were involved, till finally, "If you're just joining us we have received confirmation that the US Navy has lost two of their Arleigh Burke destroyers with what is believed to be all hands. Unconfirmed reports indicate that the Russians have also lost two of their guided missile cruisers of the Atlant class. It is unknown at this time if all hands were lost."

"This is all in addition to the Indian military vessel that was lost months ago followed by eleven cargo ships of various types. At this point cargo ships been forbidden to enter the Indian Ocean unless escorted by a military vessel."

"Unconfirmed sources have indicated that there is movement of the Chinese Navy all along the southern edge of their country. Vietnam and the Philippines have issued warnings for China not to enter their territorial waters."

"There is speculation that one or more submarines have also been lost in the area, however, no one is willing to confirm this. India has placed great pressure on the United Nations for countries to help them open the Indian Ocean. All of India's shipping is forced to go through this area."

"As of this date there is no confirmed report as to who is sinking these ships. We'll now go to our panel of experts who can help us understand what is happening in this area and perhaps speculate as to who could do this and who would benefit from ships being sunk in the Indian Ocean. We'll start with our distinguished..." Oscar killed the TV since he has been listening to this all day and they seemed to know nothing new. "Military and civilian ships?" Rick queried.

"Earlier India informed every nation that their civilian ships would be escorted by guided missile destroyers and possibly submarines and that they would fire on any ship that approached too close to prevent their passage in and out of port," Oscar informed him. "And we send an aircraft carrier to help or because we lost two destroyers?" Rick questioned. Oscar shrugged. "Both, neither, your guess is as good as mine. The other two destroyers have given up helping and are in search and rescue mode now. What happens when the place is packed with military vessels from several nations all worried that their ship is next..." Oscar trailed off. It offered the perfect scenario for one nation to go to war with another. All that was needed was one wrong move.

"What's Kate up to?" Oscar wanted off this subject since it was too easy to see one or more countries in combat with someone else. "She has her own problems. It was a hit and run. Someone in a pickup truck ran down two teenagers that were walking down the side of the street. If this was New York she would be thinking..." Oscar interrupted him, "Gang members or maybe a drunk driver."

"But this isn't New York. Newcastle doesn't have video cameras on every corner. We don't even have traffic light cameras. Add to that the fact that no one saw anything and she has her work cut out for her." Oscar shook his head. Someone was sinking ships and people were still running people over with their cars and driving off. "Has she got any leads? Hopefully not someone local." He didn't like the idea that it was someone who lived here. "She hasn't said, but it might not even be a local. It could be someone who was passing through. What she needs is someone who saw something, even if it wasn't the incident itself," Rick replied.

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Kate threw her papers on her desk in frustration. She had nothing except two dead kids with broken backs and a broken neck. What she needed was information. Even how they died would help her determine at least which direction the truck had been traveling.

"Hi, girlfriend," a new voice called out from the door into her office. "LANIE!"


	2. Chapter 2

**Evil Eyes 2**

"Lanie, am I happy to see you!" Kate was up out of her chair to hug her old friend who she had just seen four days ago since they had driven up to see her and Javi. Plus she had called her office to request her help with her two dead teenagers. "Any progress?" she asked softly. Lanie shook her head. "Everything's booked for the next two years or longer." Lanie was bummed that they couldn't find a venue for their wedding. She couldn't believe that there were women willing to wait three years just so they could get married _There._ Wherever _There_ happened to be. "I can get Rick to help look; he found ours and he actually does have contacts amazingly enough." Kate offered up Rick's help even though he knew nothing about it. "I'll take it, maybe it'll be as awesome as yours." Lanie loved her pictures and video of that mountaintop wedding. "He'll find you something. ...Now come with me, I've got two bodies that need your expertise."

"I'm taking the State Examiner over to our two bodies, call me if you need something or if someone gets lucky somehow," Kate called out. "You got it, Boss," was the answer she got back. "Boss, huh?" Lanie loved the sound of it. "Don't encourage them. I still haven't gotten used to being a county sheriff. I knew Montgomery had paperwork and while I know I have less than him, it's still too much." Kate had always hated paperwork. Unfortunately it was a necessity.

"Nice car, girl," Lanie remarked as she got into Kate's Chrysler PT-Cruiser Limited. "I haven't driven my Jeep in so long I've almost forgotten I have my own car. Thank god I remembered to order tire chains last winter for the office's new vehicles! We did get some use out of them last year. Winter's coming up soon and this'll be another test of our vehicles. So far there have been no complaints." Kate hadn't gotten any complaints over the new computers or improved building, either. Still it hadn't gotten really cold yet like the girls in the office had talked about and snow on the ground was at least a few weeks away if not more.

Lanie didn't say a word about where Kate was taking her and found herself inside a walk-in cooler. She also didn't see a table to work on. "Newcastle isn't New York City," Kate reminded Lanie seeing the look on her face. "In fact I had to go to the high school to get the supplies I needed to make casts of all the tire tracks that were in the area. _I SWEAR,_ the idiot sheriff that came before me must have given out nothing but speeding tickets and parking tickets. The office had nothing." Kate had been pissed even after she had gotten the inventory list she had asked for. Now she was even more pissed.

"They're lucky to have you, Kate, really lucky." Lanie knew she was perfect for the job. "Take me back to my plane and I'll unload my equipment. I even have my own portable autopsy table. It might fit in your car, just maybe," Lanie said somewhat doubtfully. "We can go back to the office and change to one of the two Ram trucks. How did you get here? Fly into..." Lanie interrupted her. "We landed in your little airport...field, whatever that place is."

Kate's eyes opened wider. "You landed out there? That place is nothing more than a field, not even flat, nothing. Your pilot's either brave or an idiot." Kate was amazed. She wasn't even sure if it had wind flags. It certainly didn't have a control tower, lights, or even a gas truck. Lanie chuckled. "I'm thinking he's both actually. Let's get your truck and take me to my plane. If you can help me load the truck I'll get started. ...Is your mom's restaurant open tonight?" Lanie would kill to eat there. "I'll call and make reservations for tomorrow. Just be ready for a busload of older people on their way to Mount Rushmore," Kate warned her, since tomorrow was one of the scheduled stops of the tour company. "How's she doing?" Lanie, of course, knew Johanna was pregnant. "She's being stubborn and is convinced that the restaurant will fold without her. Oscar makes her sit for as long as he can every hour. Mom isn't making it easy on him."

"Not to worry, the later in the pregnancy she gets the more tired she'll be. You should know that." Kate had gone through her pregnancy but she wasn't fifty years old and would be fifty-one when the baby was born. "Is she still stressing out about the baby?" Lanie asked on the ride back to the office to pick up the truck. "Not much at the moment, that will likely change though." Kate really wanted everything to go well for her mom. "She's due in mid-March if I remember correctly," Lanie said. "There will probably be snow on the ground. We have a hospital of sorts, it just isn't the hospital in Rapid City." The hospital in Rapid City was at least an hour away even if Kate used her lights and siren and she would if it came to that.

She stayed only long enough to help Lanie get set up since it was just her and her pilot. "And when are you having a baby?" she asked and got a glare from Lanie. "I have room for _you_ on my table," Lanie snapped as she slapped it. Kate raised her hands in surrender. "I'm going, I'm going. ...But I'll be back." She made a hasty retreat out the door. "YOU BETTER RUN, GIRL," Lanie yelled after her. Lanie loved babies just so long as they were someone else's.

"I've got something for you, Boss." Greta handed over her folder just as Kate made it back inside. "Not you, too?" she moaned. "I'm going to get you two for this, mark my words!" she grumbled, pointing at Elizabeth and Rebecca. "Anything you say...Chief," Elizabeth teased. "I better not find a phone booth in this office," she called over her shoulder as she walked into her office, referencing the '60s TV series, _Get Smart_ _._ She missed the high five between Elizabeth and Greta. "We need a phone booth," Elizabeth said, and Rebecca picked up the phone. "On it!" Though she couldn't stop laughing.

Kate had nothing and it was frustrating her more than words could say. She left her office to stare at her white board that had what meager amount of information she had on it. She had their names and had talked with their parents which went about as expected. There was a list of their friends and she had one of her officers out to interview each of them, trying to find out all she could about the teens. Why were they out there walking at that hour? Where were they going? Names of all the people they knew. She was totally zoned out till she felt someone tugging on her uniform. She looked down and smiled at who she saw. Then the realization set in and she quickly flipped the board so that the little girl couldn't see the pictures that were on it. "Hi Kate." Sam smiled up at her. She knelt down to hug her. "Hi, Sam. ...Did you bring your backpack?" It had her sleep clothes and clothes to wear for tomorrow. Kate watched her point at her mom who was holding it for her and talking to Rebecca about what projects needed to be worked on since she didn't have 911 call center tonight.

"Go get your mom while I get my bag." Kate guided her to Amber while she retreated to her office. Moments later she heard, "Kate?" They usually just traded off and Kate went home, this must mean something had changed. Amber silently went into full blown panic mode. She didn't think she had done anything wrong, but the economy wasn't as good as it used to be. "Amber, Alexis has been wanting another sleepover with her friends and having Ava has made things in our lives more complicated." Kate could already see Sam bouncing at the prospect.

"I need to solve this case first so I was thinking about having the sleepover the day after we solve it. I wish I could tell you when that day would be, but I wanted to find out if you were open to the idea." Sam was really bouncing now.

Amber took a relieved breath and smiled at the enthusiasm of her daughter. Amber didn't wait for her daughter to ask her. "Just tell me when and I'll bring her with a suitcase instead of just her backpack. Your place or mine?" If it was just Alexis and maybe Jenny, she would take them. "We're thinking of inviting Paige as well and making it a party. There's another complication for tonight though. Midas got hurt today and his back leg is all wrapped up in a bandage; he's supposed to stay off it as much as possible."

Kate watched Sam clap her hands over her mouth and she looked like she was ready to cry. "He'll be fine, sweetie. He just has to stay off his leg for about a week. He'll be as good as new, I promise." Kate tried to make her feel better. "You heard her, Sam. Do _not_ play with Midas unless Kate or Rick tell you that you can. Understand?" Amber asked and watched her nod. "That's my girl." Amber hugged and kissed her.

Sam was silent all the way home. Kate felt bad for her. Sam was over so often that Midas and Maggie had adopted her and made her part of the family. "Lanie's going to sleep in the guest room tonight so you're sleeping in Alexis's room in the extra bed. Wash your face and brush your teeth, sweetie, and I'll be up to tuck you in in a few minutes." Kate watched Sam go upstairs to Alexis's room.

Kate found Rick with baby Ava in his arms, both of them sound asleep on the sofa. He was holding her tight to his chest. She smiled as the sight tugged at her heart strings. She took out her phone to take a picture. However, Kate wasn't looking forward to what came next. She wanted her daughter to be happy being a Dragon even in a world that didn't have Dragons. She didn't want a repeat of what Meredith had done to Alexis. Being a Dragon didn't automatically make her a monster. It had taken a lot of work to get Alexis to feel good about being a Bear.

She left them to sleep for now while she went upstairs to tuck Sam in. "All set?" Kate tugged the sheets and comforter in place and tucked in Sam's penguin, Petey. "You can see Alexis and the dogs in the morning. Maybe even Ava if she isn't sleeping. I know Alexis will be very happy to see you. Pleasant dreams." She kissed her forehead and watched her yawn. She stopped at the door and thought about things. Amber was working in her office full-time now during the late shift. Her husband still had his job even though, according to Amber, it didn't pay that much and their son was still working at her mom's restaurant. As a family they were doing so much better now and Kate was happy about that.

Kate still didn't believe how much money it took to run a sheriff's office and how much paperwork she needed to quantify how much money she spent, what she spent it on, and why. She had to keep track of each credit card that each of her officers had and what they used it on. The notice of next year's budget being 20% to 30% lower concerned her. She had just hired everyone she needed and she was still technically short almost two people. What if this meant someone had to go? "I'll take a pay cut," she said to herself. "Rick makes more than enough for all of us." She knew his latest book was doing well and the checks were still coming in. He was even working on the next one, or so he told her.

She carefully stepped in and worked slowly at taking Ava from him. Since she was still sleeping she took her upstairs to their room and put her in her crib, then she sat down to pump for tomorrow while watching Ava sleep. "You didn't wake me up." A voice had her looking up from her baby girl to find Rick rubbing his eyes.

Kate felt weird sitting there topless with cups that had bottles attached to them and the soft noise of the pump. Still he ignored it all and leaned down to kiss her. "I love you." And those three words elevated her heart rate yet again. He loved her even sitting there looking less than sexy. How did she get so lucky? Meredith's loss was her gain and she was keeping him till hell froze over and maybe not even then. "How long have you been home?"

She just smiled and reached up to pull his head back down to kiss him. She could feel the desire to have him inside her building up. She could feel the desire to have him inside her building up. They had only made love to each other a couple of times since giving birth to Ava, but it felt good to know that having a baby hadn't made her need for him lessen as her need for him grew. "Not long, just long enough to put Sam to bed and take Ava from you. You two looked so cute like that."

"Yeah, I'll bet. Drool dripping down my mouth with a baby doing the same to my shoulder. Really cute, very sexy," he responded sarcastically. She chuckled. She hadn't noticed any drool and even if she had it wouldn't have changed anything. Good thing she had a picture of it. "How goes your case?" Rick changed the subject.

"It's going nowhere; we've got next to nothing. I'm hoping Lanie can shed some light on that. I left her my Jeep to get around in. Drove her out here and left her the keys and went back to the office," Kate said. Rick got on his knees and looked her in the eye. "I had a nice long talk with Ava about not being a Dragon until we tell her she can." He took Kate's hands in his. "What I don't know is if she was listening or even understood me. I'm still wrapping my mind around how she's more mentally mature as a baby Dragon than a baby human. I know Ava the Dragon is in there and listening, I just don't know how much."

Kate's love for him soared. Still she was the mother and the Dragon in this house. "I'll talk to her in the morning. She needs to learn when she can and can't be a Dragon. I hate it but it's just the way life is for us." Being a shifter meant complications.

"Are you sorry you bonded with me that night?" He looked down, somewhat saddened that her life was so complicated now. Maybe her Dragon would have remained hidden if not for him. She looked hurt and squeezed his hands. "NEVER! I love you. Maybe I didn't totally understand all of the implications at the time, but that changes nothing. You're never getting rid of me. Ever," she exclaimed as she placed a hand on his cheek.

"I wish I had met you long ago..." he murmured. Kate began shaking her head, getting him to stop when she moved to place a finger over his lips. "You've got me now, and while Alexis isn't mine, she feels like she is. I love both of you and I wouldn't change anything." She was all in now. Hearing Maggie barking followed by doggie nails on the stairs got their attention. "That's probably Lanie. Give me a few minutes to finish. I'll put the milk into bottles and into the refrigerator then I'll be right there," Kate told him as Rick stood and left their bedroom.

oXo

Kate waved on her way to the kitchen and came back out with two glasses of wine, handing one to Lanie. "Thanks, I could use this." Lanie didn't bother sipping. "It's always sad to see someone so young having their life put to an end. It's the only part of this job that sucks."

"Find anything?" Kate was desperate for a lead. "Well, they were both hit by a car or truck. I'm guessing truck due to what looks like the initial impact location. It's a little high for the average car. Based on their injuries the damage to the truck should be significant," Lanie told them. "So the impact killed them?" she asked only to see Lanie shake her head. "Yes, the damage was significant, but that wasn't what killed them. Actually they were both run over. I found distinct tire markings on both of their bodies," said Lanie. Kate and Rick tried to visualize how that could have happened. He was actually using his hands to mimic how a body could be hit and then run over. "I can maybe see one of them getting hit and falling under one of the tires, but both?" He couldn't see it and to be honest, neither could Kate.

"Would it help to know that they weren't run over just once?" Lanie asked and took another drink. That came as a shock to both of them. "It wasn't an accident, they were targeted and killed. ...Except our interviews with everyone they knew don't lead us to that." Kate was confused. "Maybe it was both," Rick suggested and saw the blank look on his wife's face. "He or they hit the kids by accident. Fell asleep at the wheel, drunk, stoned, something. Then they backed up and ran them over making sure they were dead," he said grimly.

"Making sure they didn't survive to rat on them and send them to prison." Kate was catching on. "It still leaves me with the problem of finding them and making sure it was them in the truck," she said.

"I've sent paint chips off to be analyzed so you may get a paint color of the truck. I also found lice on both of them," Lanie informed them. "Head lice? Please tell me you didn't bring them home with you!" Kate didn't need her girls getting head lice. The damn things were tough to get rid of. Lanie replied, "I'm clean, I made sure. Since lice bite you to get your blood..." Kate finished what she was about to say for her. "You can get DNA from the blood. He or they hit them, backed up and maybe went forward again to run them over and make sure they were dead and not just injured. One or more got out to make sure they were both dead and left some head lice behind. If you can match the blood and maybe the lice themselves, I can nail them for murder and not just vehicular manslaughter. Running them over shows intent to kill and not just an accident. Please tell me you kept some of the lice too!" she remarked and saw Lanie glare at her. "Sorry," Kate said apologetically.

A sudden cry from Ava on the baby monitor had Kate getting up. "I think that's my cue," she said after standing. "I can use one of the bottles and you two can continue to talk," Rick offered. She shook her head. "I haven't pumped that much, you're going to need what there is for tomorrow. But thanks for the offer, babe." She leaned down to kiss his head then went upstairs to feed her daughter.

"I'm glad you two found each other. She and Jo were both lost after Jim died. I know Kate hid it well and decided that she needed to be strong to support her mother, but they were both hurting," Lanie said after Kate left. "I can't take the credit, she saved me, too. I never really knew I needed someone besides Alexis until Kate came into my life," Rick admitted.

"Not afraid that she's a cop?" Lanie asked, meaning Kate might not come home one day. "If she was in the murder capital of the world then I probably would be. But I have faith that she's been trained well and Newcastle likely hasn't had a murder in years. At least until now. And she's good at it and is dedicated to her job. If it makes her happy then I'm happy." Plus he knew something Lanie didn't. Kate wasn't just a kick-ass sheriff but also a powerful Dragon if it came down to it.

"Missing the city?" Lanie questioned since Newcastle was barely a fraction of the size of New York City. He shook his head. "There's room to live out here and by that I mean _live_ _,_ not just exist. What about you? You gave up the city, too." He knew a city girl when he saw one. "Sometimes, but I wouldn't have this job without Kate. I know she did something, but I'm not sure what. I fly or drive all over the state. We may be two to two and a half hours from each other and not working together, but we're still close. Still close enough to be best friends. It's like living in Jersey, someone in Queens, and someone in the Bronx. Just without the stop lights, taxis, or trains. How's Johanna and Oscar?" Lanie changed the subject.

"Pregnant," he chuckled. "You'll get to see tomorrow since we have reservations. Just get ready for all the old people." He used his fingers to try and look scary. Lanie was amused but not scared. "Just so long as none of them are my mother." Even getting engaged hadn't made her mom happy!


	3. Chapter 3

**Evil Eyes 3**

Kate was up the next morning and snuck into Alexis's bedroom to get Sam up and into the tub. Then she woke Alexis, kissed her cheek, and helped the sleepy child get undressed and into the other tub where she left her. She went back into their bedroom and found that Rick and Ava were missing.

She hurried downstairs and into the kitchen where she saw Ava in her carrier, fast asleep while Rick was working on breakfast for everyone. She moved over behind him, wrapped her arms around him, and buried her head in his back. "You could have left her in her crib," she pointed out. "Sam's here and while I doubt Ava would change, the sound of the crib breaking under her Dragon's weight isn't likely to happen however it would lead to questions we can't answer," he replied as he flipped pancakes and then turned bacon, all while keeping an eye the toaster.

She groaned into his back. "Our lives are so complicated." Dragons, Kodiak Bears, and lord knew what else was out there besides the Red-tailed Hawks and other birds. "Yeah, isn't it great!" He was all smiles. She didn't miss hearing the happiness in his voice. She simply hummed, put her nose in his back, and breathed in her mate's scent. She really wished she had time for a little one on one fun this morning, but she didn't. "I need to get the girls dressed and me in the shower." She lifted up on tiptoe and tilted his head to give him a quick kiss then went upstairs.

Rick heard them before he saw them. Maggie was first followed by Sam, Alexis, and then Midas. "What did we tell you two about not letting Midas up? He has to stay off that leg if you want it to get better." Their happy faces instantly turned to gloom. "Sorry, Dad." "Sorry, Mr. Rodgers." Both of them spoke at the same time. "Just remember what I said when Kate brings Sam home with her again tonight." He let them off easy figuring Midas had gotten up because he didn't want to get left behind.

The girls were just finishing eating when Kate showed up dressed for work. She saw her breakfast-filled plate waiting for her and since she didn't have time to spare she sat down and started eating after taking a peek at Ava who was still sleeping. "Being a sleeping baby isn't going to get you off, Ava. We're having our talk like it or not," she whispered to her sleeping daughter.

"I'm dropping both girls off at the school this morning leaving you with Ava and the dogs. Don't forget to get some writing done. My paycheck alone can't handle all of our bills." She kissed him at the door in front of Alexis and Sam. "Good luck with your case. I love you." He kissed her again. "I love you, too. ...Keep Ava in her baby form," she added softly and left to drive the girls to school before going into her office.

Kate stopped to tell Amber where her daughter was before moving on to find Lanie waiting in her office. "Just when did you get up this morning?" she asked her as she entered her office. "I've been up since I got this." Lanie got up out of her chair to hand Kate the faxes she had received using Kate's fax machine.

She read what was on them, stood up, and went to her door. "LT, Greta!" She retreated to the front of her desk and waited for the two of them. "Lanie's gotten us the make of the truck that hit our teens. Find matches to that truck. If you don't find anything local start looking outside. Let's find these two." She handed over the paperwork and saw determination written on their faces as they went to their desks. Lanie had given them a lead and Kate was leaving it to them to find who did it and where they were now.

"Thanks, Lanie, we'd have nothing without you. How long are you staying?" Kate had no idea what her plans were. "I haven't had dinner at your mother's restaurant yet so I'm here for one more night. Call me when you get blood samples or lice for me to test against what you have now."

"Rick's home with Ava and should be writing." She knew he would love an interruption but he really did need to write. "Sounds like I'm taking your Jeep over to your mother's then. Maybe I'll get lucky and she'll whip up something delicious for lunch." Kate snorted. "Don't be surprised if she takes a catnap," she cautioned. "Why do you think I'm going? That baby's gonna to be the healthiest baby on the planet, so help me. I may prefer dead people but that doesn't mean I want your little sister or brother ending up on my table." With that Lanie headed for Kate's Jeep.

Kate sat down heavily in her chair. "Baby sister or baby brother." She got lost in her thoughts while she envisioned various scenarios of her future with a baby brother or sister.

She didn't know how long she had been daydreaming. Greta came into her office. "Ma'am, _ma'am_ _!_ We've got a possible hit on the truck. A state trooper spotted a truck with front end damage and the right color in the Mount Rushmore area." Kate picked up her phone. "Tell LT to get ready. I may have a job for him." She was smiling while she looked up the number she wanted.

Hanging up the phone, she looked up and saw LT standing in her doorway. "South Dakota State Trooper Albert Wilson will meet you at the entrance to Mount Rushmore and take you to the truck if it's still there. If it leaves he'll call us and we'll pass on the information to you. As much as it pains me, it's their bust since it's in their state. I'll have the paperwork in their hands allowing you to take him, her, or them off their hands as fast as I can. I'll have Lanie waiting for them."

"Be careful LT, they've killed two people already. Oh, and watch out for their head lice. The blasted things are damn near impossible to get rid of. I don't need my daughters getting it from me because I got it from you. They could spread throughout the school!" She shuddered at the thought. "Yes, ma'am. I'll get them and be careful." LT turned to leave. "Send Rebecca in on your way out, please."

The next thing she knew, Rebecca was knocking on her doorframe. "We need to start the paperwork to get the State of South Dakota to hand over our suspects." Kate watched her smile. _"Yes_ _,_ _ma'am_ _!_ _"_ She hustled back to her desk and her new Apple laptop so she could fill out the paperwork and print it for Kate's signature.

Everyone in the office loved their jobs now that Kate was in charge. She was nothing like their last sheriff, Christian Dahl. They were actually looking forward to working in this office this winter. They wanted to find out just what the office renovations had done to the place since this winter for forecast to be worse than last year.

LT wasn't even halfway there when Rebecca handed over the paperwork for Kate to sign so she could fax it to South Dakota. "That was fast," she mentioned approvingly while she signed. "They killed two of our own." Rebecca took the signed paperwork over to the fax machine. Kate didn't doubt that she would hand deliver them if she had asked. Sighing, she knew she still had a few phone calls to make. She had to give a heads-up to the mayor among others.

Kate was sitting with the others eating a late lunch together when they received notice that LT had met up with the state trooper. "Soon now." Rebecca was smiling. Her smile was contagious and soon everyone else was smiling, too.

Kate was reading her email when Rebecca with Greta right behind her, came charging into her office. "We got a call from the State Police. They've handed over two teenagers to LT who's on his way back. He's maybe an hour out," Rebecca reported. "Make sure we're ready to receive our guests. I need to get court orders for their DNA tests and get Lanie here." Kate picked up the phone and began speaking with their local judge. She walked him through what she had and what she wanted. She was up at her door and speaking to Rebecca. "Fax him our paperwork. He'll sign it and fax it back." Kate went back to her phone again.

"Hi Oscar, is Lanie still there? Can you put her on the phone?" She waited impatiently. "Hey girl, have you seen this house lately?" Lanie was impressed by the massive mess that was currently the first floor. Kate chortled. "Has he shown you his slab that's his half horse stable-half barn?" she inquired. "That, too. Alexis is going to live over here you realize," Lanie remarked. Riding horses was going to be a big draw.

"If it makes Alexis happy. ...Hey, I need you in my office in about an hour and a half. Our two suspects should be here by then. I'm already working on warrants allowing you to take their DNA and search them for head lice." She was hopeful that these were the two killers. "That was fast." Lanie was impressed. "We got lucky. A South Dakota trooper spotted a truck that matched our target truck. They're taking it apart as we speak and will forward what they find to your office," Kate said.

"I'll be there right after I finish off a few more of these cookies," Lanie told her which had Kate laughing again before hanging up. "YES!" She pumped her fist. They were close to closing their first big case since she got there and made sheriff.

' _L_ _T'_ _s brin_ _g_ _ing in our suspects for our hit and run babe_ _,_ _'_ Kate thought to Rick. _'That's great! We can celebrate at your mother's restaurant tonight. The cookies are on me_ _,_ _'_ he replied. _"How_ _'_ _s Midas?'_ she asked. _"I haven't seen either of them for hours. Ava is right here. ...Aren't you, baby girl?'_ He forgot to actually talk to her while cooing at Ava and playing with her fingers. _'Go back to writing_ _,_ _babe and stop playing with the baby.'_ She knew her husband. _'Or do you want your new editor turn into another Gina?'_ She wasn't kidding. _'Spoil sport. ...I'm typing, I'm typing.'_ He actually did go back to typing on his laptop while occasionally holding his infant daughter. She cooed and an occasional smile flitted over her face.

Kate's own smile grew as she sat back down and waited for LT, their two guests, and Lanie.

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Kate, Rick, Lanie, Alexis, and Samantha were all smiles when they entered her mother's restaurant and told the hostess that they had reservations for five plus an infant. "Right this way, Mr. Rodgers." She escorted them to a pair of tables that had been pushed together to form one big table. "Your brother will be your server tonight, Sam." She knew who they all were. It was a small town after all.

He took their drink orders and sent over someone older to take their order for a bottle of wine while Sam simply smiled at her older brother. He had been nice to her ever since everyone at home had a job.

Oscar showed up. "Johanna will be out in a moment after I force her out of the kitchen to take a break." That made Kate and Lanie happy. "It's a little empty tonight," Lanie remarked. She'd thought Kate's mother was doing better than this. "The locals have learned that a busload of people will be showing up soon and they'll have to wait for a table," he explained.

They were working on their appetizers when Johanna walked up. She pulled an empty chair over to sit next to her daughter who was holding Ava. "How are you feeling?" Lanie was all over her first thing. "I'm fine, not tired yet." Jo knew she would be eventually. "You sit down when you get tired. We're not losing this baby." Lanie waggled her finger at her. "Yes, Doctor Parish." Johanna teased her with her tone only to have Lanie stare her down.

"Be careful, Mom; she's relentless and doesn't take it well when you don't listen. Trust me." Kate understood her friend. "I promised to take it easy." It wasn't like she had a choice with Oscar watching her every move. "I'm looking forward to what you cook for us," Lanie admitted. "It'll be perfect, I promise." Just then the front door opened and in walked a long line of mostly older people who had just gotten off a bus. "Back to work." Johanna started to stand. "SIT! They haven't gotten their drinks yet, yet alone ordered anything." Lanie growled at her and everyone watched as Johanna sat back down. "I warned you, Mom." Kate started laughing just as Ava began fussing. "I'll be back." She got up and took the diaper bag with her. "Do _not_ piss her off, Mom, for both our sakes." She and Ava headed for the restroom.

The place started filling up fast and Jo gave up her chair that she had stolen so they could seat everyone. "Your food will be out in a moment. I need to warn the staff that the bus is here." Johanna went to the kitchen as everyone else noticed the once quiet restaurant was now filled with voices.

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Kate and the others were watching with satisfaction as LT and Greta took the two idiots out of lockup and out to their car to be driven over to the courthouse jail facility. LT would be staying there as guard while Greta would be out on patrol. "Thanks, Lanie." Kate looked at her. Her friend hadn't let her down. "It was easy. The lice were a match to those we found and their blood was a match to that found in the lice. Give me a few days and I'll have a DNA match to go with it." Lanie shook her head. "Two stupid teenagers that even with parole aren't going to get out until they're old and gray. ...Think it was alcohol?"

"Doesn't matter. They were sober enough to get out of the truck to check on them and then sober enough to get back in and run them over twice to make sure they were dead. Now I have to go tell two sets of parents that we found who killed their sons." Kate was sure there would be a lot of crying involved this time, too, much like when she had to tell them their sons were gone.

"Rick, the girls, and I will be up this weekend provided we both don't have a case. Maybe he will have found you two a wedding venue to think about." Kate hugged her friend before driving her and the pilot out to their plane and watched them take off from their dirt field that was little more than that.

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 **It is now one week later:**

The Rodgers family was walking out into their expansive backyard wearing nothing but robes. "Okay, Alexis." Kate smiled brightly at her while holding baby Ava in her arms. Alexis grinned, dropped her robe, and shifted into a Kodiak Bear in an instant. She took off with a much better feeling Midas and rambunctious Maggie in hot pursuit. "See you two out there." Rick kissed Kate and Ava's heads, followed by dropping his robe and turning into a really large Kodiak Bear. He ran after Alexis with the intention of catching up.

Kate put Ava down and opened the blanket in which she was wrapped. "Alright, Ava, you can change." A few seconds later baby Ava was a baby Dragon. Kate got down on her knees in front of her and held her head gently. "Ava, sweetie..." Kate was going to hate this, but it had to be done. "You can't be a Dragon except during our family outings." She watched Ava lower her head only to have Kate lift it back up. "I know you don't like that and to be honest, I don't either. But this world isn't full of Dragons anymore, sweetie. Our civil war ages ago saw to that."

"You and I are all that's left of the Dragon race. If we're ever spotted we could be in big trouble. I know you didn't mean to hurt Midas, it was an accident. But as a Dragon you're too big to play inside. You and the dogs – plus when Alexis joins you – are too big and play too rough. We won't have much house left. Please, Ava, stay a human baby until I tell you otherwise. I'm trying to protect you. I love you and so does your father and big sister. ...And Midas and Maggie." Kate rocked her head from side to side almost forgetting to add the dogs into their family.

"Please, Ava, promise me." She searched her eyes and eventually saw her bow her head in response. "You're a good girl and we love you." She kissed her scaly head. "Now go catch up, show them that you're a Dragon!" She stood, backed away, and saw what she was sure was a smile on her daughter's face. The baby Dragon hurried off after the others while spreading her wings. She could almost become airborne.

Kate watched her run and partially glide as she struggled to catch up with the others. She smiled and laughed a little at her life. She was a Dragon of myth and legend. Her husband was the biggest Kodiak Bear she could ever have imagined, her older daughter was another Kodiak Bear who was finally learning to like being a bear instead of thinking of herself as a monster, and her younger daughter was going to grow into an impressive Dragon some day. Who would have thought?

She dropped her robe, shifted into a massive Amethyst Dragon, and spread her wings wide which actually felt really good. She took off running till she was flying low to the ground as she dared and blew past her family before making a wide turn to land near them.

Let the family games begin! _'This is going to be so much fun!'_ the Dragon inside her told her.


	4. Chapter 4

**Evil Eyes 4**

 **It is now 1 month later:**

 _November 2002, Ava is about 4 months old,_

After their first double murder in what was forever in the town of Newcastle, Kate was happy to go back to being bored. Well, actually none of them were bored, it was just that they weren't dealing with murders. She looked at the latest item and got up from her desk. "Greta, my office, please." She went back into her office and leaned against her desk. ' _This should prove interesting.'_

" _What's interesting?'_ Rick asked. Kate hung her head, she'd done it again. _'Not you_ _,_ _babe. Go back to writing. You're almost done and then we can go somewhere.'_ She bribed him trying to get his mind back on his latest book that he'd almost finished.

" _YES! Somewhere for us to go! I'm all over it_ _,_ _'_ he replied which caused her to groan knowing that now he wasn't going to get any writing done. "I should have kept my big mouth shut," she grumbled to herself. "Ma'am?" Greta was at the door and had heard the last part.

"Come in, Greta. My husband is thinking up grandiose plans for our upcoming mini vacation. If I know him he'll have us flying for hours because he found something in Australia that caught his eye so we can turn right around and fly back for still more hours." Actually she could see it happening even now. "He loves you and just wants to make you happy," Greta reminded her. Kate smiled wide. "Yeah, he does." It warmed her heart before she got her head back into work mode. "I've got something for you." She handed over the piece of paper and started counting while Greta read what was on it.

"A CHICKEN THEFT!?" Greta was sure she had read incorrectly. "It's the third in five days." Kate could still see the look of disbelief on her face. "There's one more item for you to consider. The Wyoming Honor Conservation Camp, the Wyoming Boot Camp, and Newcastle have issued a bulletin informing every town in a one hundred mile radius that they've got two women that are unaccounted for. It's possible that they found a ride and are far from here or..." Greta interrupted her and added her thoughts. "Or they're on foot, haven't gotten far, and are starving and thirsty." Kate started nodding. "Or it's a coyote that has found that free-range chickens are delicious."

"In any case start with the owner and take a look around his place. You've got one of the 4x4 Durangos so put it to use." She reached for the paperwork she had on the two missing women thanks to Warden Michael David and handed it to her. "This is what we have on the two missing women. Read all of it and decide on a plan of action. I doubt that they have weapons..." Greta interrupted her again. "But assume that they're armed." She wasn't stupid.

"Call for backup when you think you need it and someone will come even if it's me. Be careful Greta, they likely left for a reason and don't want to go back. Don't make me have to visit your little girl and tell her that her mommy isn't ever coming home again," Kate pleaded. "No, ma'am, I mean yes, ma'am," Greta replied. "Send LT in on your way back to your desk, please." Kate moved around to sit at her desk.

"You wanted to see me, ma'am?" LT showed up at her door. "Have a seat, LT." He was a little worried but couldn't think of anything he'd done or forgotten to do. "I've gotten a notice from Chrysler of a recall of all of their Dodge Intrepids. We're going to send them over to have the recall done one at a time. I'm starting with yours. I can give you a choice. Take my PT Cruiser or take one of the Dodge Rams. You should only have to put up with this for today and you'll get your car back tomorrow." Kate waited.

LT knew there was no way he was taking her PT Cruiser even if she did offer and likely meant it, knowing her. "I'll take the truck, ma'am," he answered quickly. "Trade keys with Victoria on your way out and send her in after you do."

She heard a light knock on her door. "Come on in, Vicki. LT's Intrepid is going to be first. Create a schedule for the others, one after the other with a day in-between just in case. Each gets the same offer as LT, take one of the Rams or my PT Cruiser," she said. "Yes, ma'am." Victoria went back to her desk to do just that.

Kate was dealing with still more paperwork. After reading it and signing it she went to Victoria's desk. "Order the parts." Kate put the requisition form on her desk along with a twenty dollar bill. "Find Rebecca a get well card and have it signed by everyone along with some flowers. And if you tell her it was from me I'll deny it," she said with a smile before she walked back to her office. "Yes, ma'am, thank you, ma'am." Vicki liked her better than Christian Dahl, too.

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It was November 27th, the day before Thanksgiving and if they wanted to go anywhere, they needed to go soon. The possibility of heavy snowfall in Newcastle would make driving a challenge towing a trailer or driving an RV, so that left flying out of Rapid City. But to where? Rick sighed heavily and leaned back onto the sectional.

Kate had arranged for five days off. Five whole consecutive days between Christmas and New Years. December 26 to 30. That alone had amazed him. _'Are we taking Sam with us?'_ he suddenly asked her out of the blue. She'd heard him and was simply sitting at her desk thinking that question over. _'You know what Alexis's answer will be if we ask her_ _,_ _'_ he reminded her. She chuckled. They had taken Samantha with them on their driving trips so far.

She gave in. _'I'll ask Amber when she gets in tonight, and if you don't go back to writing we won't be able to_ _even_ _afford a_ _trip into_ _town!_ ' She never heard a response which she hoped was a good sign.

oXo

The sound of quickly running feet had Kate looking up to find Sam and Alexis racing each other to see who was first to reach her. She considered it a tie since Sam was in her office first but Alexis had made it to her first though it had cost her. "Ow, ow, ow." Alexis reached for her knee that had hit the edge of Kate's desk.

"Careful, Alexis." She kissed her forehead and rubbed her knee for her. She looked up to see Rick and Amber in her doorway. She rolled her eyes when she saw the look in his face. "Go ahead." She went back to tending to Alexis's hurt knee that was going to turn into a bruise for a short while. She'd heal quickly due to being a shifter.

"Kate's taking five days off work from December 26th through the 30th. We're going on a mini vacation and want to know if Samantha can come with us," Rick asked, looking at Amber. Sam sucked in a breath and looked up at her mother pleading silently. Kate also instantly found Alexis looking at her. _'Say something_ _, M_ _om!_ _Oh, please m_ _ake her say yes_ _,_ _'_ was written all over her face. "She's welcome to come, we'll take good care of her." Kate watched as Samantha stepped closer to her mother and tugged on her slacks. "Here's the list of places we're considering." Rick handed over his list which told Kate what she feared most. She was definitely going to twist his ear over this when they got home.

Amber started looking over Rick's selections.

 **Montreal, Canada:** _Just ten minutes before Mont Tremblant, you'll find this gem that has a total of 41 ski trails, including bunny hills and beginner learning areas. It may just be Quebec's favorite family-friendly winter destination. Although packed with fun for children and beginner skiers, advanced skiers need not worry._ _ **Mont Blanc**_ _has the region's second largest peak, the Laurentian. For those who don't ski, head to their SnoZone park, a snowboarder's paradise, full of jumps, rails, boxes, and new boarder cross and skier cross racing lanes._

 **Orlando, Florida:** _Cool - but not too cool - weather, light crowds, and fun Halloween events make Orlando a great destination in October. If you can get your kids out of school for a long weekend, they'll never forget a family trip to see Mickey Mouse. Disney's a fun destination for lovebirds, too._

 **Boston, Massachusetts:** _From the Freedom Trail to the Franklin Park Zoo, there's something for everyone in the Boston. For the history buff, there's the Freedom Trail, the Old North Church, the Granary Burial Ground, plus touring the frigate, the USS Constitution, that was launched in 1797. For the kids there's the Boston Children's Museum founded in 1916 and the Franklin Park Zoo._

 **Florida Keys, Florida:** _The 100-mile stretch of mangroves, coral reefs, and beaches from Key Largo to Key West is perfect for an October visit. The threat of hurricanes is gone and it's easy to find ways to keep busy with opportunities for scuba diving, fishing, and touring historic Key West. Consider a cruise to Dry Tortugas National Park ; bring your snorkel if you go._

Amber already knew what her daughter would say and what she wanted to say. Yet her son was being left out of all of this and it wasn't fair to him. "No pressure, please feel free to say no." Kate felt Alexis turn her head suddenly to look at her, her hurt knee long since forgotten. Samantha wrapped her arms around her mother's legs. _'She can't say no, she just can't.'_ Sam did her best to convey her silent wish.

Amber placed her hands on her daughter's shoulders recognizing her plea. "Sam gets to go everywhere with you two and I know she loves it. It's just that Michael never gets to go anywhere. He's stuck at home wondering if we can afford to send him to college." Amber told all of them her dilemma.

"He can come with us," Rick suddenly offered which had Kate looking at him in surprise. Taking Sam was one thing, taking a teenager was another. What did either of them know about teenagers?

Amber was shaking her head. "We know he's trustworthy and responsible, he works at Johanna's restaurant," Rick said. _'Babe, just how do you think this is going to work? Who sleeps where and how do we make love with kids everywhere?'_ This idea was going south fast. _'We_ _'ll_ _need to be resourceful_ _,_ _'_ he replied.

"We need to talk." Amber wasn't committing to anything. Sam, however, didn't get the answer she wanted and wasn't letting go of her mother till she did. "You two can have my office." Kate got up taking Alexis with her and over to the front door.

"MOM!?" came in stereo as Kate and Rick got it in one ear from Alexis and in the other from Sam. Kate knelt down to Alexis's level. "It's her family, Alexis, and she's right. Sam has gone everywhere we've gone and her brother has been left at home each time. If we left Ava behind on this trip would that make you happy? Her brother deserves to have some fun, too."

Rick bent over both of them. "She has a family just like you do, just like your other friends do. It's not fair to leave him behind." His logic was falling on deaf ears since all Alexis knew was that Sam probably wasn't going to get to go. She simply remained silent, her lip quivering occasionally. In the end Samantha went home with them to spend the night anyway and both were deathly quiet till bedtime.

Kate found Rick waiting for her after she put Ava to bed after feeding her and checking her diaper. "He's a teenager, Rick. What are we going to do with a teenager? What the girls like he most likely won't." She wasn't angry, she just wasn't so sure about this.

"Practice for when Alexis and Ava are?" he replied meekly. "Just Alexis and Ava, huh?" Kate decided to tease him. "Well we only have... wait! Say that again." She now had his undivided attention. "Are you trying to tell me? Are you...?" She couldn't be pregnant already, could she?

She started smiling since she liked him like this. Stuttering and out of control. She put him out of his misery. She leaned in close and put her lips on his ear. "You're so easy, Rick." She sat back and watched his facial expressions change all over the place. "So what was on your list?" Kate changed the topic, however, Rick was still on the last one. "List, Castle?"

"List... uh, Montreal, Disney, Boston, and the Florida Keys." He finally got his brain in gear. "Boston?" Kate questioned him on that one. "I thought we should have one place that's educational," Rick replied, defending his choice. "Well, if Michael's coming I know where he'll want to go," she said and could see Rick didn't understand. "The Keys, beaches, bikinis, babes," she remarked dryly and saw the light bulb go on over his head as he smiled at her. Uh-oh! She had said the magic word. It was a good thing she had regained her shape after giving birth to their daughter. She was probably going to have to go shopping for a bikini or two since her breasts were a little larger since she was breastfeeding Ava.

"The girls are going to pick Disney, babe," she warned. "And it'll be his first trip if he comes," Rick countered, thinking that would give Sam's brother a little more say. "Almost a month. Where's your laptop? I need to do some shopping since my bikinis likely don't fit right anymore." She had a pretty good idea as to where they would be going.

Kate pulled it into her lap and turned it on. "Please tell me you got some writing done." She glared at him. "I got... _some_... writing done." Rick was in trouble and he knew it. "After I'm done _you_ _ **are**_ _writing,_ and don't even think about coming to bed until you've got one complete chapter done and can show it to me to prove it!"

She found one and didn't know what possessed her to purchase it. It was $61 with free shipping. The top was a demi-bra that would push up her breasts and it had all of these straps that were connected and joined at the back of her neck in a halter top style. But it was the bottom that had her heart pounding. It had this tiny patch of fabric to cover her pubic hair with four straps around her hips that joined in the back as a single strap that went between her cheeks. It would expose her entire butt.

Then she found another one. This one was $48 and it had a strapless top that tied in the back with a big tie. The bottom had ties on her hips. It had haphazard splashes of pink, green, and yellow all over. The top was padded so it would increase her bust size and the ties would make it easy for Rick to undo when she had her arms wrapped around him while she kissed him.

One more just to be safe. This one was also $48 and it had straps that were orange on one side and a blue and white stripe on the other. One cup was orange and the other had a blue and white stripe. It had a ship's anchor between each cup. The bottom was blue and white stripes with orange ties on her hips.

Satisfied, she went in search of Rick and handed him his laptop. "One whole chapter, babe." She kissed his cheek and walked away putting a little extra sway in her hips.

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Oscar was still up after making sure Johanna had taken her prenatal vitamin and had taken her blood pressure using a wrist cuff that he'd gotten her. He wrote down the results to show the doctor for their next visit and then kissed her. Now he was in the living room watching TV since he couldn't sleep for some reason. He was giving serious consideration to stripping and going for a run in the dark on four legs to see if that would help. Instead he got up, made sure the dogs couldn't follow him, then went downstairs to look at the remodel.

It was rough getting any sleep during the day when all they heard was power saws and power nailers sawing and pounding away all day long. The entire first floor had been gutted which had exposed a few problems that needed to be corrected. His contractor had a 10% contingency for unexpected complications and they had already used up about two thirds of that amount before being given some news that wasn't welcome.

They knew the A/C unit was on its last legs as was the water heater and all of that had been budgeted for. However, what wasn't budgeted for was installing all new ductwork that was going to add $5,000 to $8,000 to their cost. If they were going to do it, now was the time with all of the walls and first floor ceiling open.

Oscar was walking around at the mess and wondering what he had gotten himself into. How was this disaster ever going to look like a business and a one bedroom apartment? He was glad the people they had hired had the vision to see it, because right now all he saw was the second floor falling in on the first.

He accidentally kicked something and heard it clatter across the concrete floor. He moved to stand over at one of the newly installed windows. The others had been good but these were better since they had blinds between the glass. Only the kitchen of the apartment didn't have them.

They were waiting for the inspector to sign off before putting up drywall. After that things should move fast. Floors, finishes, fixtures, and paint. The yard outside still had a large dumpster as well as what looked like a shipping container that was locked and held almost all of the material that they would need.

A sudden noise got his attention and the haphazard flashing of a pair of flashlights sharpened his scrutiny. He stripped his clothes off quickly, opened the door, and ran outside on all fours. What he found was a pickup truck and two kids who were working on busting the padlock to the cargo container.

His color was perfect for this as he ran flat out through the grass and weeds. He lifted his head and used his broad chest to crash into the kid that was just watching the other one. Oscar turned quickly and raised up on his hind legs and brought both of his front legs down on the kid on the ground, one front hoof for each leg, and listened to him scream in pain.

The other kid who was working on the lock pulled a hand gun out from behind his back and started to aim at Oscar. Oscar, however, was already spinning and kicked out with both of his rear hooves landing squarely into his chest just as he pulled the trigger, firing his weapon. The kid was hurled several feet and didn't get up.

The sound of screaming had awakened Johanna and she looked out of the window in the direction from which she thought she heard it. What she saw was Oscar in his beautiful gray and black body kick his rear hooves into someone's chest. She watched him fly from her view right after hearing and seeing the flash of a gunshot. She ran back into their bedroom to call 911.

"Beckett." Kate listened for a moment. "MY _MOM'S_ HOUSE! Send whoever's on duty and call for an ambulance. ...What do you mean weapons fire? Never mind, I'm on my way." She grabbed what she could find to put on and was opening their safe to get her service weapon out while slipping into a pair of tennis shoes.

She flew down the stairs barely noticing that Rick was sitting in the living room doing what she had told him to do. She ran flat out, charging out of the front door not bothering to close it. The noise had Midas and Maggie up and out of the bedrooms while they each guarded one of the girls.

"What's going on?" Rick yelled but Kate was already out the door. _"What's going on?'_ he tried again. _'Trouble at_ _M_ _om's._ ' She got in her PT Cruiser, hit the lights then the siren, and launched herself up their road. She went airborne over the highway and onto the road that led to her mother's house.

Kate braked hard and skidded for a ways. She left the lights on as she grabbed a flashlight, picked up her service weapon, and started searching till she found a gray horse with a black mane and tail standing over two young Caucasian males. One was bleeding from both legs, the other was bleeding out of his mouth.

She pulled out her cell phone and called 911. "Rachel, this is Beckett, I've got two young Caucasian males. One has broken legs and needs an ambulance, the other has had his chest crushed. Send another ambulance and contact Rapid City. Get them to send their medical helicopter. It might be the only thing that will save him." Kate ended the call and turned to the horse. "Oscar?" She watched him change from a horse to a man in a second. "What happened and make it quick. Then you need to shift back. You attacked them as a horse and that's what people need to see. " They could already hear a siren headed up the highway.

"I spotted these two trying to break into the container that holds all of the supplies for the remodel. I crashed into that one and stepped on his legs. That one got both of my hind legs after he pulled out a gun and tried shooting me." Oscar finished telling her just as Johanna came running out. "Katie!" She wrapped her arms around her. "Shift, Oscar, _now_ _!_ You attacked them as a horse and that's what everyone needs to see, so _shift, dammit_ _."_

Kate started to worry what this would mean for Oscar if the kid died from having his chest crushed.

Though he _had_ fired a weapon. Maybe if they proved how smart the horse was they wouldn't be forced to put him down. What the first EMTs found was Sheriff Beckett in a winter jacket, yoga pants, t-shirt, and tennis shoes while standing next to a pregnant woman who was stroking the nose of a large stallion.


	5. Chapter 5

**Evil Eyes 5**

 **It is now one week later:**

 _Almost Christmas 2002_

Kate met her mother at the horse barn that was holding Oscar. "Can't you do something?" Johanna pleaded. "I'm constrained by my relationship with you, Mom. If I even step so much as a toe into this case it will only get worse. The state police identified them and they've been in and out of juvie several times. They know how to play the system. If it wasn't for one of them carrying a gun Oscar would be in even more trouble than he already is."

"Be thankful Oscar didn't attack them as a human with his own weapon. The kid whose legs he stomped on with his front hooves has already undergone one operation per leg and they expect him to undergo still another and that's to try and let him keep his legs. He'll still likely end up in a wheelchair for life." Oscar took that moment to snort and toss his head. Johanna stroked his muzzle and kissed him.

"The other kid didn't die which is the good news. He had five broken ribs and two more with hairline fractures. One of them punctured his lung which is why he was bleeding from his mouth. One of them grazed his heart but apparently did no damage. Beyond that I don't know anything and I got all that from Lanie who had to use her influence to even be involved in this case."

"Yes, the attack happened in Wyoming but he was airlifted to Rapid City. Lanie had to use her position to examine both of them since the kid with the chest injury is presently outside of her and my jurisdiction. When the case comes to trial it will be in Wyoming, however, his lawyer's playing hardball and will likely fight him being extradited. Until they reach a decision, Oscar stays here."

Oscar nudged Johanna trying to tell her to go home. "I heard her." Jo didn't get what he was trying to say only to have him nudge her again followed by snorting at her. "If that's you trying to tell me to go home, you can forget it, mister." Oscar decided to be pissed off at her somewhere else and retreated into his stall. "Get your butt over here." Johanna wasn't happy with him. Oscar simply stayed where he was. "I know how to open this stall!" She threatened to come to him. "So does he, Mom. If he wanted out to try and run for it he could," Kate reminded her.

Johanna hung her head. "I'm sorry, I'm just so very frightened for him, for the three of us. What if they decide to try and put him down?" Her worst fear had her heart shrouded in ice. "It's not going to happen. No one died; they were just injured while committing a crime on your property. And if they try, I know of a very large Kodiak Bear and an Amethyst Dragon that aren't going to let that happen." Hearing that, Oscar came back over to the gate and he nuzzled Kate his thanks.

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Kate and Rick loaded the last of the presents for her office into the back of her PT Cruiser. She had at first tried to mix it all up and make it personal for each person but quickly found that she had started far too late and was disappointed in herself that she didn't know all that much about the people she employed. Oh she knew what they did at work and everyone got along nicely, but they didn't do anything outside of the office together. She began thinking up things they could do.

"Hope they like these. We still have some decorations to put up, so don't be surprised if I don't answer the phone," her beloved husband advised her.

Kate grinned wide. _'I don't think that's going to be a problem_ _,_ _babe_ _,_ _'_ she told him silently. He chuckled and gave her a big kiss before helping her into her car.

"You have the paperwork?" Rick asked her and watched as she tapped the briefcase in the seat next to her. "I hope they like it," he commented. He'd worked hard to find Lanie and Javi a venue for their wedding.

"I'm sure they'll love it. ...You're not really going to put up that second tree, are you?" Kate was still astounded at just how many decorations Rick had for Christmas. Two trees, one for each level, hundreds of ornaments, or so it seemed. An electric Santa Claus that held a candle with a bulb in his hand. She'd been overwhelmed by all the garland, vinyl stickers that went on the windows, the inflatable Santa, _and_ the snowman family that had blowers under them. Plus the driveway all the way from the highway was lined on one side by candy canes. She still didn't know where he stored it all, but he just kept coming out with more.

She was smiling all the way into work however, since Rick had also hung mistletoe all over the house and was collecting his kisses from everyone he caught under a bunch. Alexis, herself, and even Ava. Christmas for her and her family had never been like this. It had been nice but Rick seemed to go out of his way to make it more.

"Okay Alexis, downstairs. We have one more tree to decorate!" he told her and followed her down. She were only too willing to help since she was thinking that since there were two trees, she would have double the presents. She was hopeful that Santa would be extra generous this year because she'd been a very good girl.

Kate parked and went inside empty-handed and got everyone outside except for Rebecca who was manning the 911 line. "Please take all of this inside and help me set it all up," she asked them.

LT and Sloan got the live tree off her car's roof and carried it inside while the women took the presents out of the back of her car. They quickly found that there was one for each of them. "You didn't have to do this, ma'am," Greta remarked, especially after she found one that had her daughter's name on it.

"I think I did and I hope she likes it. Just don't open any of them till Christmas." Kate wagged her finger at each of them. Out came boxes filled with ornaments and lights for the tree and the office.

Even with all the help it took a little time to put it all up. Soon the entire office bore the scent of a fresh-cut, scotch pine Christmas tree and it had everyone sniffing the air. "I love the smell of Christmas," Rebecca announced.

"I love the smell of coffee," Kate countered and put the coffee machine to use then went to her office. It was time to get to work and get something done.

It was late in the day when Kate finally went home for Christmas Eve. Their girls had been with Rick doing Christmassy things, she assumed. He had been uncharacteristically silent all day which had her curious. Still she had felt a little guilty about leaving the office. The late shift had families, too. "Have a Merry Christmas. I hope to see all of you at my mother's restaurant tomorrow. The appetizers from After Dark are on me," she had told all of them and received well wishes in return.

Stepping through their home's front door, she smelled pine yet again. She found snow flakes hanging all over the place, a beautifully decorated Christmas tree in front of the windows, and a fire flickering merrily in the fireplace.

She smiled softly when she found a sleeping Rick with a sleeping Alexis and Ava draped all over him. There was just one thing to do and that was to take a picture of them with the tree in the background and make it wallpaper for her phone's main screen.

Kate lifted her baby girl off her husband first and carried her upstairs. She came back for Alexis next. She was on her way up the stairs when she heard her whisper, "Santa?" Alexis fell back to sleep on Kate's shoulder. She quickly found it wasn't easy getting sleeping little girl out of her clothes and into bed. She was just finishing tucking Alexis in. "Mom?" Alexis never seemed to open her eyes. "Go back to sleep, sweetie; Santa won't come if you aren't asleep," Kate warned her quietly, not getting a response.

She wondered what to do with her husband who hadn't moved. She decided soft kisses might just work. Eventually he began to stir. "Sleepy," he mumbled which brought a quick smile to her face. A few more kisses had him opening his eyes. "Santa's here." Kate smiled widely at him as she teased.

"Really?" Rick still wasn't all the way awake yet. "Help me fill their stockings and put the presents under the tree." She tugged him up and guided him to where they had hidden it all.

He was finally wide awake as he stuffed what Kate thought was the last item into a stocking. Sounds from the baby monitor drew her upstairs to check on Ava. Her absence allowed him to slip something special into her stocking.

Come morning she and Rick didn't know what to do with Alexis who was busy bouncing and talking and not eating. "Finish and you can go find your presents from Santa," he told her which, it seemed, had her inhaling without chewing then she was off at a run.

The wrapping paper was soon flying and boxes were being opened while Kate took it all in. "Is this the new normal for me?" she wondered to herself. She found that she liked it a lot.

 **Boogie Board 8.5-Inch LCD Writing Tablet** , a pink one for Alexis

 **Fisher-Price Baby's First Blocks and Rock Stack Bundle** , for Ava

 **Earlyears Squeak 'n Stack Blocks Baby Toy** , for Ava

 **Yoga Sprout Baby Girls' Bodysuit, Pant, and Hoodie Set** , for Ava

 **Gerber Baby Girls' 2 Pack Zip Front Sleep 'N Play** , for Ava

 **Nautica Baby Girls' Raglan Sweater Dress with Rope Stripe Full Rib Skirt** , for Ava

 **Carter's Baby Girls' 4 Pack Print Bodysuits (Baby)** , for Ava

 **Rosie Pope Baby Baby Girls' 2 Pack Best Friend Pants (Baby)** , for Ava

 **Reindeer Critter Bath Wrap** , for Ava

 **Nerf Rebelle Agent Bow Blaster with blue arrows** , for Alexis

 **Clementoni The Underwater World** , for Alexis

 **Zinger Girl's Roller Skates** , for Alexis

 **Creativity For Kids Fashion Design Studio** , for Alexis

 **LINSAY Kids Smartest Watch On Earth with Camera - Pink** , for Alexis

"What's this?" Alexis had one present left and it was an envelope stuffed into her stocking. She opened it but didn't understand. "What does it say?" She handed it over to Kate who was smiling wide already as she took it.

"It looks like a reservation for next year and a park hopper pass to Walt Disney World to me." Kate was smiling the entire time. Alexis was shocked at first and then squealed and started dancing around till she stumbled on her other Christmas items and fell, but bounced back up and went back to dancing and squealing.

"I think Santa left you something, too," Rick's deep voice rumbled. Kate hadn't bothered to check her stocking. She looked at him quizzically, but got up to see what it could be. She pulled out a small box all wrapped up in snowflake-covered Christmas paper.

 **Fair Trade Sterling Silver Bracelet Cuff Elephant, 'Elephant Secrets'** _Strong and regal, elephants guard forest secrets. They appear on a cuff bracelet designed by India's Neeru Goel that is crafted with sterling silver, featuring burnished contrasts, .925 Sterling silver_

She was immediately misty-eyed since she knew Rick had been her Santa Claus. "It's gorgeous." She leaned over to kiss him deeply and passionately while still trying to keep it G-rated.

"I think Santa left you something, too," she told Rick who hadn't yet looked at his stocking. He got up and found a narrow, festively wrapped package. He wasted no time in ripping the paper off to expose a simple box. Opening it, he pulled out a small purple and white stick.

He looked at the plastic stick and read the letters **EPT.** It had a plus sign on it. His jaw dropped as he raised his eyes and looked at Kate in shock. She was smiling at him. "You're... You're..." Words failed the wordsmith.

"Pregnant? ...Yep," she confirmed with a grin as he swooped down on her and hugged and kissed her in a way that was a little more than G-rated.

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Rick was driving while Kate and the girls were still home sound asleep. It was just about 5am and just over five and a half hours until they got on the plane to leave on their vacation. He had this and one more thing to do before they left today since they'd packed after the girls went to sleep last night. He was whistling happily to some crazy, silly tune that he was making up as he went. Still he could hear Alexis in his ear. "That song doesn't make any sense, Dad." He simply paused and stuck his tongue out at her empty seat and changed the rhythm.

He pulled into Johanna's driveway and backed his way in thankful for all the practice he had gotten with his trailer. He turned off his truck and walked back to the trailer that Oscar had already bought since it was a great deal. Rick opened the back and found Oscar waiting for him. "Enjoy the ride?" He grinned as a now fully-clothed Oscar walked right past him and started unhitching the horse trailer. Oscar grumped in annoyance at Rick. He wasn't pleased about any part of the entire adventure. However, Rick was highly amused that Oscar had had to dress in the horse trailer once he'd shifted back to his human shape.

Oscar walked in the front door and went upstairs to his and Jo's bedroom. He walked over to their bed and stood there gazing down at his lady love. Then she stirred and opened her eyes. "OSCAR!" Johanna launched herself at him. She wrapped her arms around him and started crying. Being in his arms made her world right again. "How did you get out? Please tell me you're not on the run," she whispered. Though it would be the horse that was on the run and not him, even if it was him. The conflict of who he was was giving her a headache.

"They finished all of their tests on me late Tuesday but didn't release me until early this morning. Suddenly slapped me on the ass, took my food away from me, fired a blank starter pistol behind me and then in front of me. Did things to spook me in the dark and had a gang of people rush me. Apparently I passed," he said quietly. Oscar smiled wide as Johanna hugged him tightly. "You really scared me. Next time just call the police, it's why we have them." She backed up a bit and whacked him in the chest. "I'll keep that in mind," he replied.

"And why didn't you call me?" She would have come get him. "You're pregnant and I'm not adding to your stress any more than I already have. Rick was happy to come get me. Jo, honey, I'm so sorry I missed our first Christmas together. They just wouldn't let me go and I couldn't sneak away for fear they'd check on me and find the-horse-me missing."

Johanna placed a hand on her belly and could feel the bump that was there. It was sinking in that she really was pregnant again after all this time. She was content right where she was. She would give him a piece of her mind later.

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Rick was glued to the TV ever since Oscar had called him to ask him he was watching, and that was where Kate found him, not knowing where Alexis, Ava, or even the dogs were. "Rick? ...Rick!" Kate found the remote and turned off the TV which got his attention. "Where are the girls?" She was just one bad answer away from being angry with him. He pointed to the baby monitor. "Ava's asleep and Alexis went back upstairs after breakfast. I've already loaded our luggage in the SUV. Oscar will pick up Maggie and Midas later. We go get Sam and Michael in about half an hour. From there we go straight to the airport in Rapid City. Our flight leaves at 10:30am so we have to be at the airport by 8:30." Then he picked up the remote and turned the TV back on.

Like a balloon with a hole in it, her rising anger blew away. "So what's so important that you're watching TV? And please tell me you finished your last chapter and emailed it to your publisher!" She still had one card to play to keep her anger. He lifted up his laptop and handed it to her while keeping his eyes on the TV. It was even still on and she had no problem finding his last chapter. She sat down next to him with the laptop in her lap. "I'm sorry, babe, but you usually find more ways to procrastinate than any other person on the planet. ...Now what's so interesting on TV?" If it had his attention then it might as well have hers.

"The Indian Ocean." She finally began to listen. "Still?!" It had been in the news for months. "What now?" The newscaster appeared to be talking about the capabilities of an aircraft carrier. "Basically Russia has lost a cruiser over the last week; the Chinese say they have lost four ships that they sent to escort some civilian cargo ships. Apparently the cargo ships all made it and China is blaming the loss of their ships on us."

"Did we?" Kate didn't see it happening, but then stranger things were happening. Rick shook his head. "Indian and Japanese radar showed that we didn't even have any aircraft in the area, so they're blaming it on our submarines."

"Oh, that's just great. So what's sinking all of those ships?" she asked. Rick chuckled. "You should hear some of their theories. I actually like some of them. Aliens from deep in the ocean are tired of us polluting the planet, or they don't like the number of submarines since they're a threat to them. The best one, the really good one? Nessie has managed to escape her lake in Scotland and is sinking ships!" He loved that one. "Right!" She rolled her eyes. "Let me know when they actually figure it out. Until then I'm going to stick to my job." She poked him in the shoulder, got up and went upstairs to get her daughters ready to go.

"Hi, Mom!" Alexis was trying to decide what to wear. "You about ready to go to the Florida Keys?" Kate watched her nod enthusiastically as she helped her dress. "What are we going to do?" Alexis had questions since they weren't going to Disney like she'd wanted.

"Well, we're going to be on a beach and swim in the ocean. Go to a national park, swim with the dolphins." Alexis broke in. "Swim with real live dolphins?" She definitely had her attention now. "Yep, real live dolphins. You'll get to pet them and maybe feed them. Then we're going to take a tour in a sailboat and maybe do some shopping. You and Sam can find a new favorite stuffed animal." That made Alexis smile. "Sound good to you?" Kate was hoping it was good enough since just like she had thought they would, both Alexis and Sam had selected Disney.

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 _ **Sunset Key Cottages.**_ Since Michael had the free hand he got to use his card to open the door to their three bedroom cottage with an ocean view. Three bedrooms with their own bathrooms, a fully equipped kitchen, and an outdoor wraparound patio with a seating area. Kate looked at Michael, Sam, and Alexis. "We get the largest bedroom mostly because we have Ava. Go choose your room and _no fighting!_ Then come back out here. We're having a family meeting. "

Kate still held a sleepy Ava since they were waiting for the crib to be delivered when everyone met in the main room. "Michael, you have your house key card, here's some money for you to use." She gave him five - twenty dollar bills. "Before you hit the beach tomorrow, be sure to coat yourself in sunscreen before you leave and take this with you." She gave him the smallest tube of sunscreen. "You've memorized our cell phone numbers, so just a few things. If we have to go to the police station to get you out, forget getting to go anywhere ever again. _Do_ _ **not**_ _drink and_ _absolutely_ _ **no**_ _drugs._ Don't try to fit in with the crowd. If you feel that you have to then you're with the wrong crowd, find another one."

"We expect you back here by 7:00 pm every evening to go to dinner with us. If you plan to miss it, call us and explain where you are and that you're fine. You don't and you'll be glued to us for the rest of the trip. You picked this place so go have fun and use that sunscreen. Sunburns hurt."

"Yes, Mrs. Rodgers." Michael got it and it was more than he was hoping for. "Good. Please go unpack. I'm going to order pizza for us since it's late and everyone's tired from traveling. Hopefully it'll be here quickly," Kate told him. It was already getting late in the day though.

"That goes for you two as well, except you're stuck with us. Cheese pizza, right?" The girls nodded and ran for their room dragging their suitcases behind them.

While they were waiting for Ava's crib, Kate ordered pizza for everyone. By the time the crib arrived and was set up, the pizzas were delivered. She fed Ava, changed her and put her down for the night then joined the others. Not long after they finished eating Rick shooed the girls to their room to get ready for bed. Michael stayed up for a while watching a horror movie on TV. Tired beyond words, Rick and Kate retired to their bedroom for a well-deserved rest.

The next morning dawned bright and clear. It was going to be a great day for being on the beach! Kate was the first one up. "Rick, please get the older kids up. I want to get breakfast done and over with before Ava wakes up." He gave a huge yawn, stretched, then went and rousted the three of them from their beds.

After breakfast she turned to Michael. She went over the rules again. He nodded and glanced longingly out the french doors. "Okay, now go put on a swim suit, flip flops, grab a towel, and go have fun. The beach is that way." Kate pointed out the door.

"Alright girlies! Go change, slather each other with sunscreen and meet us back out here, then we'll hit the beach for the day." Sam and Alexis hurried to their room squealing in delight.

"Guess that leaves us, babe." They went to their room and stripped, sliding into swimsuits. Kate chose the orange and blue and white striped one. "Do my back?" She held up her bottle of sunscreen and turned around. She was soon sighing; she loved Rick's hands on her body. As she covered Rick with lotion, she found herself wishing they could stay in their room.

Ava was coated in sunscreen and placed in a stroller. And with snacks, towels, the diaper bag, bottles of water, sunscreen, cell phones, money, and IDs, they hit the beach. Michael was nowhere in sight which was no surprise, though Alexis and Sam were right in front of them. The girls dropped their towels next to the stroller then ran for the water. Kate picked up their towels and placed them on her stroller. She worked at getting the stroller down to where the sand was harder making it easier to push.

They hadn't gotten far. "You want to get wet?" Kate cooed at Ava before lifting the five-month-old out of the stroller and walking to the water. She was soon waist-deep. Ava's feet were getting wet and she was putting up a fuss about that. Kate bent down and scooped up a handful of water and let it dribble on her. "Listen to the Dragon voice inside, sweetie. She knows that you can breathe water so there's no reason to be afraid."

Kate went deeper till she was floating on her back with Ava on her chest. "Ready to swim?" She didn't wait for a response and dunked the both of them though she never let go of Ava. Coming back up she could see her baby girl smiling. "Breathe deep and hold it, here we go!" She sat on the ocean floor and watched her daughter smile while trying to make her arms and legs go.

She didn't stay down long or the Dragon inside her might take over. "You're such a good swimmer. Ready to go again?" She sat down in the water again and watched Ava move her arms and legs, even if she was uncoordinated and wasn't getting anywhere. However, for Kate it was all about the smile on her sweet baby girl's face.

She let her stay down a little longer before standing and holding her to her chest. "That's my girl!" She kissed her head. "Does she swim, Mom?" Alexis and Sam showed up in the water. "She's trying to though she's still a little young to actually swim, but she's getting there. ...Ready to go again?" She sat down again and this time Alexis and Sam went with her. She spun her so she could see. Ava was reaching out to touch the face of her big sister while grinning a toothless grin which made Alexis smile at her.

Kate and the girls stayed out in the water for a while getting Ava to smile the entire time. "We'll be back, it's time for a diaper change." She grabbed the diaper bag. Rick meanwhile pulled out a Frisbee that he had hidden in the stroller and grinned at the girls who took off as he threw it to them. He dove into the water to try and catch the Frisbee the girls threw when she came back with a dry and sleepy Ava who went unresisting into the stroller allowing Kate to push her toward the girls. She left Ava with Alexis and Sam and took their place to play Frisbee with her husband. Soon she was laughing while diving into the water for the Frisbee to throw it back. Eventually they stopped and started walking down the beach getting their feet and the stroller a little wet. "Doing good girls?" They had smiles so it must not be too bad. "Yep," came from both of them.

Even though everyone had been slathered in sunscreen yet again, they still went inside. Everyone was pleasantly surprised when Michael showed up at 6:00 pm with the intent of having dinner. Sam was grinning at him while Michael stuck out his tongue at her which only got her grinning even wider.

"Have fun?" Kate handed him something cold to drink. "Pretty much. I met a group that let me play volleyball on the beach with them before they left. Then I found a shack that sold drinks so I bought a soda, sat on the edge, and just people-watched. There were amazingly few people my age out here." He was a little down about that. "Give it a couple days and when we reach the weekend maybe things will change." She gave his shoulder a pat.

Rick sat down next to him. "No girls in bikinis, huh?" He felt for the teen a little even if he did have Kate to keep his eyes open and on her. Michael just shook his head. "Kate's right you know, wait till after it gets dark and then this weekend things should change." Michael wondered just how late he could stay out while he was there.

Kate came back out. "Here's the shopping list, babe. I need you to go if we plan on eating tonight and tomorrow." She hurried away when Ava decided she was unhappy. "Grocery shopping. ...Girls?" If he was going to be unhappy he might as well make it a family affair. Little did Rick know that Sam had her own ideas of with what they needed to bring home.

He dropped the bags in the kitchen where Kate was searching for pots and pans. She began putting things away while he kept some of it out so he could start dinner. "Twizzlers?" She held up the package. "I have no idea where that came from," he said feigning ignorance. "Right!" She didn't believe him. She found another thing not on the list.

"Reddi-wip?" she inquired with a raised eyebrow. Rick grinned. "That's for later after all the kids are in bed." She suddenly had a vision of what Reddi-wip could be used for. "Just one can?" She put it away while biting her lip. Parts of her may be covered in whip cream but Rick could be, too. "It was the biggest can they had," he said in defense. "Buy two next time," she told him as she kept digging.

"Peanut M&M'S?" She plopped the one pound bag on the counter. "There should be vanilla ice cream in there somewhere. Homemade Blizzards," he remarked with a huge grin. "We better have a blender or you're in trouble, mister." And she was pretty sure they didn't have one.

Sam came running into the kitchen and snagged the bag of Twizzlers. "Only three for each of you!" Kate yelled at her little runaway backside. "And you wanted more children." She was wondering what it was going to be like once their new baby arrived. She found herself in her husband's arms. "I want all you're willing to have. Your genes are dominant, Kate. Our next one will most likely be another Dragon. You and Ava won't be the only ones anymore."

She rested against his chest secure in his arms. "I'd rather give Alexis another little brave Bear. Hiding a Dragon is hard." She wanted Alexis to feel even better about being a Bear.

"I'll make you a deal. We have a Kodiak Bear and we'll stay in Wyoming. We have another Dragon and we'll buy our own island, far enough away that no one will notice a pair of Dragons growing up," he offered. She realized that actually owning their own island had a certain appeal to it. She and Ava did know how to breathe water while they swam.

"When this baby's born we're going to need a bigger house." She wasn't sure three bedrooms would be enough. "And we're not hiding out in the middle of nowhere. The kids need school and friends." She tried to reel Rick in a little.

"I'll start looking right after dinner." He was smiling while Kate shook her head. Sometimes she didn't know what to do with him.

Dinner was over and she was tending to Ava when Michael showed up. "I'm going out," he informed her. "Do you still have money?" She watched him nod. _"No drinking and no drugs_ _,"_ she reiterated. "If I find out otherwise between now and the day I die of old age, I'll make you suffer. I used to be a homicide detective in New York so don't think I can't," she growled at him. "Yes, Mrs. Rodgers." Michael was sure she could. "Call if you need us for anything. I'm not taking a dead body back to your mother." She was quite serious. "Yes, Mrs. Rodgers." Now he was getting a little annoyed at the obvious. "Have a good time and be home by about midnight." Kate saw him smile and walk away quickly.

Kate had a wide awake Ava and went back into the living room area and found Rick on his laptop while the girls looked a little bored. "Did you two pack a board game?" She watched both of them smile and run for their room.

"Monopoly Mexico, huh?" She didn't even know they owned it. She watched them set up the game and hand out the money which looked to be the same as ever. She leaned in with Ava in her arms. "It's all in Spanish!" She looked at those two. Just when had Alexis learned Spanish? "Ava and I are still going to wipe the floor with you two. Right, Ava?" She tickled her and kissed her chubby baby belly.

Kate was allowed to choose her token first so she took the jet airliner. Alexis took the guitar and Sam chose the car.

Everything was going fine till Ava fell asleep on her. "I think my partner needs to go to bed and you two need to go wash, brush your teeth, and get ready for bed. ...Leave the game and we'll pick it up again tomorrow." She made sure both of them were tucked in for the night.

"Night sweetie, I love you." Kate kissed Alexis's cheek. "Love you too, Mom," Alexis replied. "You can call your mother tomorrow before we hit the beach and then go swimming with the dolphins. You're a good girl and I'm glad you came." She kissed Sam's forehead. "Night, Mrs... Kate." Sam corrected herself and Kate smiled.

"Everyone's in bed." She closed his laptop for him, took his hand, walked him into their room, and locked the door. "Strip and get into bed, babe; you're mine tonight." She moved over to her suitcase and started searching. "Strip faster, Rick, or there will be a penalty." Hearing that left him conflicted. He wanted to know what she had in mind and what she meant by a penalty. So he kept his present speed before finally climbing onto the bed and lying on his back.

Kate walked over to him with what looked like straps. He began to wonder if she was going to whip him for taking too long. However, by the time he realized the straps had Velcro on them, his left hand was being strapped to the bed. He had an erection by the time she had finished with his left foot. He was squirming as much as he could by the time she was done. He watched her strip slowly and silently in front of him. She couldn't help but notice that his erection was bobbing on its own.

She was finally naked and started crawling up his body till she was sitting on his erect cock with it rubbing against her nether lips. "You're mine, Rick and I'm going to make you beg me to let you come." Both of them had pounding hearts since she didn't know what he was going to think of what she had planned and him with the anticipation of letting the woman he loved do kinky things to his body.


	6. Chapter 6

**Evil Eyes 6**

Joanne walked into the bedroom and saw Serena walking out of the closet dressed only in a bra and panties. She was carrying her outfit and tossed it on the bed. "How did it go?" Serena asked and went back into the closet to find her shoes. "Pretty good. With Paladin gone it took a little convincing for them to remain part of the team though."

Serena came out with shoes. "I've was afraid of that. Did everyone join just to fight Paladin or do they see the benefits of being part of a group that they can depend on? And not just to prevent Paladin from killing them off. Simply let the four winds send them wherever." Serena waved her arms and slid into her slacks.

"It does feel like that. They don't talk to us unless we call them. Remind them that we are still here. Slip back into trying to be invisible to the non-shifters on this planet," Joanne commented. "Isolationist thinking," Serena added. "Stick their heads in the sand and everything and everyone else just disappears."

"How's our bank account?" she asked since Joanne was the one that kept track of their money. "That check you brought home last week took our account to little above 90 million dollars, which is a good thing since we need a lot. Parts for the Osprey, weapons for the Osprey. We need the house painted, the A/C system needs maintenance, the water heaters are getting old and likely need to be replaced, and the retractable roof for the Osprey needs maintenance as well." Joanne tossed her pad on the bed.

"Is this your way of saying we should get rid of it?" Serena inquired as she buttoned her top and tucked it into her slacks. "I know you like it, but it's a very finicky machine. They still haven't solved the overheating problem and its range has prevented us from doing things in the past." Joanne finished ticking off a few of its failings.

Serena sighed. Joanne was right, her heart did hold a special place for it and it had served her well. "What do we replace it with, and don't say a helicopter. They don't make one that has greater range." Serena fought back to keep her baby. Joanne went back over to her pad. "Sarah, can you come up with something with which to replace the Osprey?" Sarah replied, "Possibly. I can put it up on the TV in the living room for you."

Serena trusted Sarah. "Living room here we come." Serena took Joanne's hand, walked with her downstairs, and made a detour to pick up a glass of wine while pouring one for Joanne. "Show us what you've got, Sarah." Serena opened her eyes wide when the picture came up.

"Ooooh!" Serena was interested. It was long and narrow, had a gatling gun hanging under the nose, counter rotating blades on a single center mounted shaft, vertical wings in the rear with a prop that looked a lot like the prop on the latest submarine the Navy built, plus it had short stubby wings on either side that could hold a number of combat items. Mini-guns with thousands of rounds, rockets, missiles or a combination of both. "Talk to me Sarah."

"The SB 1 DEFIANT™ Joint Multi-Role Technology Demonstrator (JMR TD) helicopter is our third X2® aircraft in less than 10 years. Being designed by Sikorsky and Boeing, the aircraft will prove the scalability of the X2 design to a 30,000-lb. class weight. (This contrasts with the 6,000-lb X2 Technology Demonstrator and the RAIDER™ at 11,400 lbs.) A compound-coaxial helicopter."

"It has greater range than the V-22 Osprey though it holds half of what the Osprey can hold. With a cabin that is projected to be 50% larger than the Black Hawk. Counter rotating blades is a proven technology. It is capable of firing the same weapons that our Osprey uses now. It also utilizes some of the _Stealth_ technology that is available now. The blades are the only part of this machine that can't be made stealthy."

"The lack of jet-like technology to generate power also means it generates less noise. Hover at 10,000 ft and cruise at 30,000 ft. Capabilities include good hover maneuverability at high altitude. Cruise speed of 250 kn (290 mph; 460 km/h). The SB-1 will be quick and nimble, with fast acceleration and deceleration, side-to-side movement, and hovering with the tail up and nose down. Range of 2,100 nautical miles (2,400 mi; 3,900 km)," Sarah told her. "Something tells me I'm going out again so we can afford this beauty. What's the projected cost?" Serena inquired. She wasn't certain their money would stretch far enough to afford one.

"They are flight testing the first two at this time. Pricing is not yet available," Sarah explained. "Book me a ticket out of Phoenix, Sarah, it's time to go shopping." Serena heard "YES!" burst from Joanne as she fist pumped her arm, which made Serena chuckle.

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Kate and Rick with Alexis and Ava still in the car, were dropping off Michael and Sam with Amber since her husband was at work. "Hi, Mom." Michael as typical teenager blew right past her heading for his room, but he didn't escape having her mess with his hair. Sam, however, was hugging her legs tightly. "They've been great," Kate said. "Even..." Amber pointed to where her son had disappeared. Kate laughed. "Even him. He obeyed the rules for the most part and based on the smiles he had when he came back, he had fun." His mom asked, "Did he meet a certain someone?" Kate wasn't sure but she was thinking he at least got kissed.

Michael was fighting his battle with acne and like all teenagers it was something they thought didn't shine a very helpful light on the opposite sex, but Kate thought he was cute enough for some girl to take a liking to. "And Sam has been perfect as usual. It's been fun and an eye-opener at the same time," Kate told her a little cryptically.

"We should go, you're getting up early tomorrow for work." Rick wanted to get home and discuss something with Kate. Amber smiled. "Thank you for taking them. It means a lot to us." Since all of them had jobs now, they were saving up to send Michael to college in Wyoming as well as saving up for their own family vacation.

"It was a pleasure having them, they're good kids. And you, I'll see you the night of the first." Kate ruffled Sam's longer, almost golden in color now, blonde hair. Rick tapped her with a bottle he was carrying. "Oh, we're going to leave you with something. All of us have a little bit of sunburn and this stuff is supposed to help." Kate handed it over.

"Thank you!" Amber took the bottle and looked down at her daughter to see if she was a little red. "I'll see you two at work." Kate and Rick went back to the car to drive home.

"So you had fun and your brother wasn't a pain?" Amber questioned. "It was great, Mom. We swam in the ocean. I even got to pet dolphins! They're fast and so smooth." Sam was beaming. "They eat fish whole! Yuk!" The look on Sam's face made Amber laugh.

"Honey..." They had talked about this some and Sam was at about the right age. Not a little child and not too close to being a teenager yet. "Do you want to start on your tattoo tonight?" She watched Sam suck in a breath and hold it, looking up at her with such glee and love in her eyes. "REALLY?!" Sam so wanted her tattoo. She wanted to know what she was.

"Go get undressed and we'll get you in the tub and then we can get started on it," Amber told her. "YES!" Sam hugged her mother for all she was worth. "I love you, Mom." And took off running for her bathroom. "I love you too, honey," Amber told the empty space her daughter used to occupy.

Half an hour later Sam was naked and laying on her stomach while Amber was preparing her equipment. "What am I going to be, Mom?" She was curious. "I'm not really sure, honey. That's part of the magic. We're both going to find out together." Amber tested her stylus and leaned towards Sam's exposed back. "Is it going to hurt?" She wanted her tattoo so badly, but didn't want it to hurt.

"A little, yes, and it will take a while to complete, but it will be worth it," Amber replied. "Did it hurt when you got yours?" Sam asked. "Some." Amber started to place the stylus on her back. "Did you know what you would be?" Sam inquired. Amber indulged her. "I knew what I wanted to be, what I dreamt I would be," Amber answered trying not to show her that she didn't quite get what she dreamed of. "Me, too," Sam said just as Amber began her work.

Sam gritted her teeth and remained silent the entire time. By the time Amber had the outline done she was tired and looked down at her daughter's back. It was narrow, really long with the head starting just below her neckline. Front legs, strong-looking rear legs and a tail that just reached the crack of her ass. It was just an outline and wasn't filled in yet, nor had she started on the colors. To Amber it looked like a lizard which made her happy.

Levels of power were based on what they were and their size. Her daughter was going to be bigger than she was and a lizard was more powerful than her, so she was happy for Sam. "We're done for tonight. I need to wrap you to help prevent an infection and keep the skin moist," Amber told her. "Can I see!?" Sam was excited and just knew she wasn't going to get any sleep tonight. "Go into the bathroom." Amber started putting away her equipment.

She walked in and saw Sam bending and twisting to try and see in the mirror on the wall. She gave her a hand mirror. "Use this." And she showed her how to look in the small mirror at the big mirror that showed her back. Sam scrunched her face trying to make sense of what her mother had done. It wasn't what she was hoping for. "We're not done yet, honey. We still have a while to go before it's complete." Amber did her best to reassure her after seeing the face she as making.

"What is it?" Sam finally asked. "I'm not entirely sure, but it looks to be in the lizard family. Lizards are powerful, more powerful than me, or my mother, or my grandmother. And you're going to be big, bigger than I am." That alone had Sam smiling again.

"Let's get you wrapped up for tonight, we don't want it to get infected." Amber reached for the roll of plastic to protect her daughter's back.

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Kate had Alexis in the tub again and went downstairs to find a sleepy Ava with Rick at the stove. She walked right up to him and wrapped her arms around him from behind. "That was fun, even if I am a little burnt," she admitted. He turned and brushed a kiss on her cheek. "I think all of us are, which means trouble for me while you're at work," he said. "Oh, how so?" Rick motioned behind both of them and Kate turned her head. "Ava." She moved over to lift her daughter out of the carrier and look her over since all she was wearing this morning was a diaper. "She's a little pink in places. ...My poor baby." She felt guilty for not keeping enough sunscreen on Ava and kissed her sleepy face. She held her while waiting for Rick to finish.

"I'm thinking of letting her be a Dragon today, but she can't chase Midas and Maggie throughout the house. Being a Dragon will help her heal faster and I won't have to hear her cry." He hated it when she cried. It meant she was unhappy about something, and that was the last thing he wanted. Kate thought it over. "Alright, but just for the day and only because we kept her out in the sun too long." She wanted him to know that today was going to be a rare occurrence. "Just until she's healed," Rick agreed.

Kate ate one handed while holding Ava in her other arm with her family at the table. "I need to shower and get dressed and then we can go. She stroked her hand across Alexis's head while heading for their bedroom.

She found lunch and coffee waiting for her at the front door. "Try not to catch another murder. I'm not sure this town can handle another one." Rick tried to make a joke out of it. "That would be nice, though we still need to go through the trial of those two." She shook her head thinking about the two that had run down and murdered two of their own.

"If I was their lawyer I'd try and get the venue changed. Everyone in this town wants those two hung, you can feel it in the air even out here," he remarked. "They might and they might succeed. It isn't going to change the outcome any. Those two are as guilty as it gets." Kate hated those two kids as much as the town did. If they had just stopped after hitting them they wouldn't be in this mess. But no, they had to stop get out and see if they were still alive and then get back in and run them over. ...Twice!

"Yell if you need me for anything." Rick kissed her deeply and then dropped a kiss on Alexis's head. "You two have a nice day." He waved as they left.

Rick found Ava awake and unhappy. He lifted her out and took her upstairs where he removed her diaper and cleaned her. "Okay, Ava. You can shift, just don't get any ideas about this happening again any time soon. Your skin will heal better as a Dragon and you'll feel better." A second later he had a baby Dragon on his hands.

He pointed at her and with a stern voice said, "Do _not_ bite Midas or Maggie and don't break anything, or I'll leave you in the garage." Not that he would, but she didn't need to know that. She just needed to know there were consequences for her actions. He was pretty sure he saw her bow her head and smile a draconian smile as she took off. His daughter was happy and that's what made Rick happy. He was even happier when he saw her run with her wings tucked tightly. She was learning.

Kate meanwhile, was greeted by everyone in the office. "My phone didn't ring so I'm guessing there were no major catastrophes," she remarked. "We had one while you were gone but there was nothing you could do about it," Rebecca answered quietly as everyone, even LT and Greta lowered their heads. Kate simply stared at them and waited.

"Kevin White, the kid who did the driving? He killed himself by slitting his wrists from his wrist to almost his elbow." Greta couldn't hold it any longer. _"HE DID WHAT!?"_ Kate wanted the son of a bitch to waste away in prison and come out a crusty old man with no skills. They all had the grace to shrink under her verbal assault. "How did that happen?" She knew they hadn't been on suicide watch. "His parents went to visit him and later that night he took his bed apart and found something sharp enough to use. The other kid, Albert Wilson, has been moved and placed on suicide watch," Greta said.

Kate was silent for a while. Three dead kids and for what? "I need the addresses of our two families." She started walking to her office till she heard Rebecca calling her name and waving a piece of paper that had the information she'd asked for. She sighed. "I'll be back. If there's anything else, save it for when I get back." She headed for the door. "Just a small celebration, but we can wait," was what she heard. She stopped in her tracks. "What exactly are we celebrating?" She certainly didn't see anything to celebrate.

"My fiancée is launching her first beer tonight specifically for New Year's Eve. She is going to bring over several six-packs for us to sample and celebrate with," LT shared with a grin. "Fiancée!?" Kate was smiling and walked over to give LT a quick hug. "Congratulations and I'll be happy to drink her beer. Just one, though, since we're on duty," she cautioned with a wide grin.

She was driving back to the office after delivering the bad news to both families of the kids they had run over. _'Well that sucked!'_ she thought to herself. _'What happened?'_ Rick asked. _'I'll explain later. How goes the book launch?'_ Kate changed the subject. _'The first printing will be out_ _any day_ _. They want me in their office in Los Angeles_ _in_ _late January. Probably to go over sales and talk about the next book offer_ _,_ _'_ he replied.

' _You'll have something written by then to show them. I have faith in your ability. How's our baby girl?'_ Kate still felt a bit guilty that she hadn't prevented Ava's sunburn. _'Amazingly quiet for some reason. She's presently all curled up next to the wall of windows and I don't know where Midas and Maggie are_ _,_ _'_ Rick admitted.

' _Is it possible that the dogs are_ _put out because we_ _le_ _ft_ _them behind with my parents? They had Patch and Thor to play with and they like Oscar and my mother.'_ She didn't like the possibility of having still another problem to deal with. _'They'll get over it. Probably the second Alexis and Sam show up_ _,_ _'_ _he replied confidently._

Kate could only hope so.


	7. Chapter 7

**Evil Eyes 7**

My computer bought the farm and is in for maintenance so this will be the last update until after Thanksgiving. Hope everyone drives safe and enjoys their time with family. It only comes once each year so enjoy it and remember it.

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Serena and Joanne were flying their new acquisition home. Serena was having a little fun and was doing spins while Joanne was looking at her few screens that were far and few between. And though her lover might like this thing, she was starting to have second thoughts.

"What's with the gloomy look?" Serena was smiling wide. "There's nothing for me to do on this thing. Unless god forbid, you get shot and need me to take over, there's absolutely nothing for me to do." Joanne was beginning to regret bringing this up.

"Relax, we're not flying home in case you failed to notice," Serena told her which had Joanne looking at where they were going and found that she was correct. Serena answered her as yet unasked question. "We're going to leave this girl with the guy who fixed the Osprey for me. Trust me, when he's done she'll be all tricked out just the way you like it." She was still smiling as the gloom on her lover's face started to fade.

Joanne listened as Serena talked her way into landing in an encampment somewhere that felt like the middle of Nowhere, New Mexico. Serena killed the power and they both stepped out and were met by what might be the skinniest black person she had ever seen. The guy next to him with the machine-pistol and the Glock at his waist and the knife strapped to his right leg, however, was anything but thin. Even without the weapons Joanne wasn't sure she could take him as her Mountain Lion.

"PORTER!" Serena wrapped her arms around him and even kissed his face, while Joanne did her best to keep her green demon in check. Serena loved _her,_ not that skinny stick of a man! "Daniel Porter, meet Joanne Delgado, my mate for life. Jo, this is Daniel Porter who's a genius when it comes to all things mechanical that fly." Joanne couldn't help but smile when the love of her life introduced her as her mate for life. She felt Serena silently slay her green monster in a heartbeat.

"A pleasure," he smiled. "And what have you got this time and what happened to the Osprey?" He was a little pissed off. "I traded her in for this beauty. I suspect the buyer of the Osprey was the CIA since what she can do is right up their alley. Think you can help me?" Serena saw him look hurt that she would even think such a thing.

"A Sikorsi-Boeing SB-1 Defiant. Last I knew these things were still under going testing." Porter was impressed. "This is the third one off the line before going into production, provided that they beat out Bell and the V-280." Serena had done her homework.

"The Marines will likely go with the V-280. Last I heard they had finally solved the rotating engine problem. Given its longer range that is an equal to this girl here. Plus it can hold more Marines and even load some weapon packages inside that the Defiant can't. Still the Army needs something better than the Black Hawk and the Cheyenne was axed.

"I presume you want everything?" Porter knew how Serena wanted her flying machines. "Upgrade the nose gun, mount a zoom camera that's infrared and ultraviolet capable. Chaff and flares, of course, and anything else you can think of. I need to keep my weapons and engineer here happy." Serena turned and smiled at Joanne.

"In that case let me show you two a few things and see if you like them." Porter directed them inside into his office and showed them on his computer. "I want to replace your counter-rotating shaft with a new one that will have a visual and radar dome on top that will work a lot like a periscope on a submarine. Yours will be telescoping since we're not trying to keep the water out and the optics and electronics inside this one will actually only work when it's deployed. Maximum length is forty feet."

Serena saw Joanne smile. "We'll take it. Anything else?" Serena wanted it if she liked it. "How about Active Electronic Scanned Array, or AESA? Basically I'll need to use a long, narrow space inside your your craft on each side. I'll try and hide it as best I can and not take up too much space. Basically radar technology sends an electromagnetic ping forward, bouncing it off objects before analyzing the return signal to determine a target's location, size, shape, speed...etc. However, if the electromagnetic signal is interfered with, thwarted, or "jammed" in some way, the system is then unable to detect the objects, or target, in the same way. It's able to jam multiple frequencies at the same time – more quickly and more efficiently," Porter said.

"That's nice but this ship is supposed to be using radar absorbing materials making it one of the most stealthy helicopters on the planet," Joanne argued. "Quite true, but what happens when your skin is shot full of holes and you aren't home yet? Or don't have the parts to fix it once you are home?" Porter countered.

"We'll take it. How long and how much?" Serena questioned. "I'll give you one of my cars. Go find a hotel, a place to eat something; come back in the morning and we'll talk," he told her. Serena knew that they were a little short on funds and she was going to have to take a number of smaller jobs to pay for all this. "Deal." She shook his hand.

"We don't have funds for this, love," Joanne reminded her as they drove to town in a bit overly used Ford F-150. "Porter's only going to need a deposit that we can afford. If we don't come back, the Defiant will become his and he recoups his loss. We need to make a call, talk with Sarah and find some jobs for me to do. Hopefully we'll have the time to earn the money," she replied.

Joanne liked having the money on hand, not hoping to have the money. "It means we'll have nothing to use for however long it takes him to make the changes," Joanne cautioned. "Then it's a good thing Paladin's dead, isn't it," Serena answered.

The town turned out to have very few choices and none of the motels were any of the big names. There wasn't even a Motel 6 there. They also didn't have McDonalds, Taco Bell, or any other fast food places. At least it did have a few places at which to eat and right now they were eating turkey wraps with the soup of the day.

Come morning they took turns showering while only getting a quick kiss in-between and were back out to see Porter at 9:00 am.

"Donut?" He held out the box that still had three donuts in it. "No thanks, we'll eat later." Serena didn't want donuts, she wanted something a little better. "Suit yourself. Knowing you, you want to get down to business," he remarked. Serena nodded. "Okay. I'm thinking four and a half months, 30.125 million," he said. She already had a time frame and a number in mind and that wasn't it. "Three months and 35.6 million with 11.1 million down and a ride to the airport so we can go home and wait for you to call," she bargained.

Porter thought about it. Serena had been a good customer and he knew her money was good. Plus in a few years even the Defiant would be replaced with something better and she'd be back yet again. "Deal. I'll get you the number to transfer the money to and Hector will give you a ride. I'll even throw in biweekly updates and some pictures if I remember to take 'em." Porter happily accepted and Serena shook his hand. Two hours later Hector was driving them to the closest town that had an large enough airport with commercial flights available.

They were past TSA and waiting the almost four hours before their flight into Phoenix departed. "I'm starving," Joanne announced and got up to find a place to eat on that side of security.

It was expensive as hell, but they found a place that served pasta with wine or beer. "That deposit and these tickets all but wipe us out, you know." They barely had money to get groceries and maybe fly two of them somewhere if they needed to. "Sarah has one job per month lined up for the next three months," Serena replied softly. "Yeah, but at 7.8, 11.4, and 9.3 million we're not going to be rich anytime soon. If my math is good it will leave us with 4 million after paying for this. Good thing we have stores to arm it with or we'd be screwed," Joanne remarked.

"Which reminds me, I was thinking we should go visit the Castles after checking in with our Polar Bears," Serena said. "Wyoming in the winter?" Joanne wasn't a fan, she liked being warm not frozen to death. Serena softly laughed. "We'll bundle up. Maybe they're willing to accept a communication system and work with us. Having Kate and Rick on our side would be a major event," she said and Joanne nodded in agreement.

It was hours later and they had just gotten inside when Sarah told them she had something. They both dropped their small bags in their room and went downstairs finding everyone else in the kitchen eating dinner. "Did you save something for us?" Serena teased and kept walking. "We'll be right back," Joanne added and followed Serena.

"Okay, Sarah, what have you got and if it has anything to do with Paladin, I don't want to hear about it for another three months." That time frame happened to coincide with gaining possession of their new toy.

"There has been a development in the Indian Ocean that you might want to see," Sarah advised them. "A little outside of our scope. What the military does isn't really our concern," Serena reminded her. "I believe you'll make an exception in this case," Sarah countered and began the recording that she had intercepted. They both stood there and watched.

"It's an aircraft carrier." Serena stated the obvious as they kept watching. Suddenly a huge, tooth-filled skull came up out of the water not far away and whoever had the camera zoomed in to get a better look. It just sat there for a moment then opened its mouth and a massive volume of green goo came out and hit the carrier amidships.

When the flames dissipated, the side of the ship was mostly gone. The two fighters that were on the catapult at the time blew up causing damage. Then they watched as what looked like a bony tail swung up and slammed into the opening in the side of the ship. It came close to cutting the ship in half.

The carrier actually sat there until the head showed itself again and blew yet another colossal amount of goo into the aft open section of the ship, which instantly started secondary explosions that blew the aft section to pieces. The forward section started to sink.

In less than ten minutes an aircraft carrier was on its way to the bottom of the Indian Ocean. "Sarah?" Joanne found her voice, barely. "This happened yesterday," Sarah said. _"_ _ **YESTERDAY!?**_ How is this not in the news? Surely someone saw this since you have a video of it, assuming you're not trying to create a movie for Hollywood," Serena questioned in disbelief.

"The video was taken from a sailor on one of the group's support destroyers. It was sent encrypted. However, based on the level of communications that are going on, the Japanese government knows about it and has placed their forces on alert. Intercepted messages suggest that the US is thinking of blaming the Chinese."

"Are they mad!?" Joanne's jaw dropped open. She didn't mean mad as in angry, though they were likely that as well. "Speculate for us, Sarah. What was that thing?" Serena and Jo were both forced to sit on the sofa to keep from falling.

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Kate was driving home with Alexis and Sam. She had picked up Alexis from school and kept her in her office till Amber and Sam showed up. "Remember what I told you, honey," Amber warned her just outside the door. "I know, Mom. I love you." Sam was now two long sessions into her tattoo. She possibly needed just one or two more and was wrapped up in plastic yet again.

Kate, Alexis, and Sam were on their way to the Rodgers' home when Kate was suddenly saw a car turn down the road headed for their house. "Mom?" Alexis had seen the same thing. "I don't know who it is. I want you two to stay in the car and don't come out until I tell you that you can. Please you two, stay in the car." She stopped her car and got out with her hand on her weapon till she saw both passengers get out of the car. "Serena, Joanne?" She was shocked to see them. "Hi, Kate. We came for a visit. We don't to be a bother so we're planning to stay at a hotel," Serena said. Kate motioned to the girls that they could get out of the car. Alexis flew out of the car, running for them. "Hi!" Alexis was glad to see them. "Hi, Alexis!" Joanne was smiling wide.

"We can put Sam in Alexis's room again and you two can have the guest bedroom. I presume you have something you want to talk about?" Kate asked and was suddenly concerned when those two suddenly took on a somber mien.

They were met at the door by Midas and Maggie who gave Serena and Joanne a thorough once over till they figured out who they were and then everything was fine. "Go put your bag in Alexis's room, Sam, and then come downstairs for dinner."

Rick came out of the kitchen. "Serena, Joanne?" He wasn't expecting them and he glanced out his windows for their plane or whatever it was. "We flew by commercial airline this time." Serena smiled when she spotted him looking for the Osprey. That made him feel better since he hadn't heard a thing and knew it was rather loud while landing.

"I hope you two like homemade chili? This is chili night." He saw two smiles telling him that they did. "Talk first, talk while we eat, or talk after we eat?" Kate inquired since she was certain they had come there for a reason. "Talk after we eat, but you may find the topic upsetting," Serena warned which had both Kate and Rick concerned. Then the girls and the dogs came running down the stairs. "Can we play pool, Mom?" Alexis asked her. Permission granted, they went running downstairs along with the dogs.

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After supper Kate sent Alexis and Sam upstairs to play in their room and they took the dogs with them. The best thing to drink after a couple of bowls of hot and tasty chili was an ice cold beer. Once again Rick was the only one drinking his beloved Summer Honey Ale. "It's delicious!" He stuck out his tongue at Serena who had questioned his choice of beverage.

Kate had Ava on her back between her legs and was playing with her hands and nibbling on her toes causing her to gurgle a smile and wave her hands at Kate. "You two didn't come out here to eat Rick's award-winning chili," she began. "Just please tell me Paladin hasn't re-emerged." She had no intention of doing that again and she simply ignored her husband's pleased smile that she thought his chili was worthy of winning an award.

"No, Paladin has been silent," Serena confirmed. "This might be worse in some ways," Joanne remarked softly. Kate's eyebrow arched as she looking at Joanne. Serena pulled out a flash drive. "Do you have the capability of playing this on your TV?" she asked. Rick took it from her, plugged it into his laptop, and then connected it to the TV.

"So what's this?" Kate questioned. "You're aware of the ships sinking in the Indian Ocean not all that far from where Paladin was located?" Serena inquired. "Cargo ships, followed by an Indian war ship, followed by Russian, two of ours, and I think some Chinese ships. All war ships," Rick responded. "Correct. Until yesterday China had taken the most number of losses with the Russians right behind them, then us, followed by the one Indian ship. Not counting the cargo ships," Serena said. "There has, however, been a new development," Joanne added.

"Which is?" Kate asked. "We lost an aircraft carrier yesterday. It sank in under ten minutes." Serena tried to keep any tone out of her voice. "What?" Kate was struck dumb. "You don't just lose an aircraft carrier," Rick pointed out. "And why isn't it on the news?" Kate countered. The loss of an aircraft carrier couldn't be hidden for long. It was too big; someone _had_ to notice. "And how do you know and not the rest of us?" he demanded. "Thanks to my anti-Paladin days I still have contacts and intercepted this video that was taken of it sinking," Serena replied. "We actually lost an entire aircraft carrier?" Kate asked and both of them nodded just as Ava put up a fuss since her mother wasn't paying any attention to her anymore.

"Sorry, sweetheart." She tickled her and blew on her toes. "Our military leaders know we lost an aircraft carrier?" Rick queried. "China?" He made his first guess and watched them shake their heads. "They _are_ thinking of blaming it on China. To what end I have no idea. Press play, Rick."

Initially they could tell that someone with a video camera was filming an aircraft carrier launching fighters off the flight deck. Suddenly it zoomed in on something that blew a massive blast of goo that struck the carrier.

Right at that moment Ava turned into a Dragon, her talons piercing Kate's legs. They all saw Ava hiss at the TV and open her mouth like she was going to breathe fire at it. "OW! _AVA!"_ Kate was angry with her and her legs hurt. That was followed by a noise on the walkway above them which had four adult heads turning to look up. They saw Alexis and Sam running for it into their bedroom.

" _OH,_ _ **HELL**_ _ **!**_ _"_ Kate hung her head and only looked up when Ava roared at the TV as best she could. Kate was just in time to see the head reappear and breathe another line of goo inside the aft section of the ship which promptly blew up that section while the other half quickly sank.

"Kate, was that...? I mean you said you were the last, but that head looked a lot like..." She interrupted him. "A Dragon," she remarked shakily, quite disconcerted. "Back it up, Rick, to just after the first burst of goo," Serena asked. They watched a bony tail almost cut the ship into two halves. "Where's its skin? Why can't we see what color it is?" he questioned and watched his wife run for the stairs and up to Alexis and Sam. One emergency at a time. Then the house phone started ringing. He picked up the phone. "Rodgers' residence." He almost collapsed a minute later. "Kate!" he yelled while still on the phone. _"_ _ **KATE!**_ _"_ he bellowed. She showed up at the railing with both girls. "WHAT!?" she snapped. She was exasperated about the entire evening.

"There's been an explosion in town. Fire trucks are responding. It's huge and they need you right away!" he told her. "Oh, god," she groaned.


	8. Chapter 8

**Evil Eyes 8**

My computer is still missing in action so this may possibly be the only update this week and I'm gone all next week with no computer access at all. Provided i get it back by then in a functioning manner.

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Kate had to make a choice, one she was sure would haunt her for years. Choose to stay and talk about the Dragon that was sinking ships, stay and deal with Sam who had seen too much, or do her job and go to the explosion in town.

She left the girls and ran to their bedroom to gather her service weapon, ID, badge, and car keys, then hurried back downstairs. "Those two don't leave and you be sure to watch Sam, she's probably scared to death. I'll be back as soon as I can." She kissed him and ran to her car.

Rick knew that Serena and Joanne had flown commercial, meaning to leave they had to drive back to Rapid City most likely, so he went upstairs and found Sam huddled on her bed with Alexis standing nearby just watching her. He sat near her and reached out only to see her shrink away from him. "We're not monsters, Sam. We just hide who we are so as not to frighten people who aren't like us. We even fight to protect all of us." Sam just shook her head.

He was heartsick and really didn't know how to reach her. "Sam, do you remember that day we went camping? Me, Kate's mom, Oscar, Paige, and Jenny. The day you were frightened by those two Bears? Do you remember what happened that day? Were you hurt?" He waited and watched her shake her head. "You were protected, no one touched you, you were safe." He pushed her a little to remember. He got the tiniest of nods from her and wondered if Alexis would be willing to shift for her friend. "I know I made you promise, Alexis, but you're brave... You're still safe here, Sam, nothing will happen to you, I promise. ...Show her, pumpkin." He wanted her to shift since him stripping in front of Sam was out of the question.

"Dad?" a plaintive voice quavered in bewilderment. She was supposed to hide what she was, not to show _anyone_ _._ "Sam needs to trust us, pumpkin, she's your friend and your mom and I love her, too. To stay your friend she needs to trust you and us. She needs to learn." Rick desperately hoped she understood. But Alexis was conflicted. Sam had become her best friend and was scared. Sam had seen Alexis's little sister turn into a Dragon. If she changed into a Bear, her best friend would be afraid of _her._ He could sense the fear and uncertainty rolling off his daughter. What he was asking of her was a lot.

Rick decided on another tack. "Midas, Maggie!" he called out and both of them ran into the room; they'd probably been hiding in his bedroom. "Guard Sam. Nothing happens to her." He watched them walk over to Sam and stick their noses into her as she huddled, curled up in the corner of on her bed. A quick pet from Sam on both their backs helped to calm her. She looked better, not so pale, and watched as the dogs turned around and sat down. She was watching them instead of him or Alexis. "Shift for her, Alexis and I'll be right back after I strip." He quietly left the room.

He glanced over the railing and saw Serena and Joanne looking up at him. "Don't leave." He watched Serena sit down followed by Joanne. Then he walked into his bedroom and quickly stripped, hoping the floor would hold his weight after he shifted.

Rick shifted, walked down the hallway slowly, and took notice that Serena and Joanne had spotted him. They had seen him before, but they were still awed by the sight of him. He stuck his nose into Alexis's bedroom and could easily tell that his daughter had shifted. But he could also scent Sam's fear. _'This better work_ _,_ _'_ he thought to himself. _'What better work?'_ heheard Kate ask. He'd just made her constant mistake, thinking that he could simply talk to himself. _'_ _Because_ _Sam_ _saw_ _Ava shift_ _,_ _Alexis and I_ _are going to_ _shift_ _to show she doesn't have to fear us_ _,_ _'_ he responded. Kate nearly lost control of her car at that news. _'She's already scared_ _,_ _babe, are you trying to_ _frighten_ _her to death and_ _make her scared_ _of us permanently?'_ Kate countered just as her phone started ringing.

 _'I'm trying to prove to her that she's safe with us in any form. She was safe when we encountered those two teenagers as_ _B_ _ears. Well_ _,_ _she's still safe_ _,_ _'_ Rick argued stubbornly. Kate wasn't in a position to stop him. _'This better work, babe, or she's going to be scarred for life. I have to go.'_

She slowed her speed but left her lights and siren on as she answered her phone. "Beckett," she told whoever was calling since she didn't bother to look at the caller ID. "Ma'am, I got Sloan on the phone even if it is his day off. He says he'll meet you there. LT and Greta are almost there already," Rebecca said. "Victoria's on the 911 desk and she's fielding a lot of calls. So far it's sounding like a gas explosion but we're not sure. It was big, ma'am, we could even feel it here in the office."

Just as she turned the corner she could see flames reaching up into the sky. "SHIT! I can see it! We need more fire units; we only have the two trucks. If this gets away from us we might lose the whole town. Make some calls. Beg, borrow, and steal every fire engine you can find. And call Rapid City and ask them to send their medical helicopter again. Then call Dr. Parish and have her come here. Also, call the State Police and advise them that they might need to close State Route 16 both ways." She didn't wait for her to respond. She hung up on her as she got closer. She pulled over and stopped next to Robert who had the town on his patrol tonight.

"Ma'am," Robert said with a nod. "What do we know?" Kate asked. "Not much. It looks like it's in the natural gas storage field. I haven't seen the flames diminish at all since I got here," he reported as Kate got back in her car.

"Rebecca, call the natural gas company and tell them we have a gas fire in their storage field outside of town. Then call the state and ask them if they can put one of those forest fire planes on standby for us." She hung up on her again and went back to stand with Robert.

They could hear their two fire trucks headed their way after Newcastle's volunteers made it from home to the station and out here. They both stopped close to them and saw the captain quickly exit his truck. "We think it's the natural gas field," she advised him as two more fire fighters walked up behind him. "It's too big for us, we only have the two units. Besides, our air tanks will only last thirty minutes and even our suits won't protect us in there." He gestured at the fire shooting up in the air.

Kate poked Robert to get his attention. "Move your teams to protect what you can on the border. If this fire makes it to town..." She was interrupted. "We'll lose the whole town." He said what she had already figured out. "I've asked for help so hopefully someone will show up. I've also got a call into the gas company, maybe they have a way to shut it off," she remarked worriedly.

"I'll get my men on the perimeter, we'll do what we can." He turned to start giving commands to his men. Kate could hear sirens that to her sounded like ambulances. That had her back to her car to pick up her cell phone. "Rebecca, tell the ambulances to stay out on the far fringes for now. Anything on those calls?"

Rebecca looked at her notes. "The gas company is flying a team out, ETA is about two hours. Rapid City is sending their medical helicopter and will be here in about one hour. They're also sending us four fire trucks that will be here in about an hour. The State Police are sending units to close State Route 16 both ways and will close it on your call. Dr. Parish said she could be here in about two hours. I'm still working on the tanker plane." She had been busy.

"Nice work, Rebecca. Stay on that tanker plane. Have LT, Greta, and Sloan take roads outside of this site and have them make sure the space is evacuated. Oh, and have them search for any victims. There might be someone far enough outside of this but still close enough to be affected. Robert and I will do the same. Set up a map in the office and tell each of us where to go so that we don't overlap and have the mayor call me if or when you get hold of him." Kate ended the call and this time kept the phone.

Kate was back to standing next to Robert. "Sloan, LT, and Greta are already making sure the surrounding area and roads are evacuated. You and I are going to do a search of the area around this. Make sure everyone evacuates the area; check for anyone that's injured and call it in if you do find someone. Rebecca will tell you where to go. For now I want you to take Morrissey Road and go south. I'm going north on State Route 16 to see if I have to have the state close it." She watched him get in his car, use his radio to check in with dispatch, and take off. Her mind was on her work. She went back to her car and told Rebecca that she was headed west on State Route 16 to see if it needed to be closed and that it most likely would.

oXo

Rick lumbered into Alexis's bedroom and quickly saw Alexis in her Bear form sitting in front of the dogs who were still sitting there doing as they had been told. It made him proud of the dogs and his daughter. He also noticed Sam's wide open eyes when he slowly walked in.

He watched Sam hug her pillow in front of her a little tighter. Showing Sam this might help or it might not, but it also meant he couldn't talk to her which could be a problem. Still he stepped up close and walked in-between Midas and Maggie when they got up and moved. They had long since gotten used to having Bears and Dragons as part of their pack.

Sam couldn't go backward any farther and yet she tried to as Rick slowly poked his big nose into her pillow. He looked at her then used his big nose to place it under one of her hands and pushed a little.

For Sam, seeing that monstrous Bear walk in had been far worse than watching her best friend take all her clothes off then a second later seeing her change into a Bear that just sat there and watched her. "A-lex-is?" she had questioned and watched the Bear nod its head.

Her heart was now in her throat as she watched the monstrous Bear that barely fit through the door and made the floor groan with each step. Then it got even closer and poked her with its nose. She could hear it breathing and felt its breath on her skin. It just kept using its nose against her hand. It was almost beyond scary but she lifted her hand and stroked its big nose. She looked at Alexis and then the big Bear trying to see if they had wings. _'Okay, not Fae like her and her mother. But what were they_ _?_ _Her mother had told her a little about evil Fae but she just assumed that even they had wings.'_

Sam watched the big Bear close its eyes and push its nose into her body. Then suddenly it sneezed getting snot all over her pillow and arm. It was both a little funny and gross and it caused her to giggle slightly for a short time while stroking the brown fur between the big black nose and those closed eyes.

She wasn't sure, but... "Mr. Rodgers?" Sam asked softly. She saw its eyes snap open and it pushed its nose into her pillow again before backing away. It used its big head to nudge the smaller Bear toward her. The smaller Bear was now on its back feet and had its front feet on her bed looking at her. Then she watched the really big Bear squeeze its way out the door.

"Alexis? You're really a... bear." She watched its head come down and run its cold wet nose across her hand. She rubbed her hand over the muzzle between the black nose and its eyes. "You're not going to eat me?" Sam watched the Bear snort out what to her sounded like a laugh. The Bear shook its head, got back down on the floor on all fours, and then sat down. "You're Alexis?" she asked this time and watched the bear nod. "And you can't talk can you?" The Bear shook its head again and let out a low growl. "Have you always been a bear?" The Bear nodded once more. Sam was feeling brave and started scooting forward till her legs fell over the side of the bed. "What's Ava?" Sam asked and then just as quickly followed up her own question. "Sorry, I forgot you can't talk." She watched, wide-eyed, as Alexis shifted back into a human who wasn't wearing any clothes.

"WOW! I've only ever seen Mom..." Sam clapped a hand over her mouth. She had almost given away their family secret. "Ava is a Dragon," Alexis replied as Sam opened her eyes wide. "You mean like a real Dragon on TV? She can fly and breathe fire and all that?" Sam was really interested now. "Mom hasn't taught her how to fly yet and I don't think she's old enough to breathe fire." Alexis began picking up her clothes so she could put them back on. "Kate's a Dragon, too!?" Sam was extremely surprised just as Rick walked in fully dressed again.

He sat down on the bed a little ways away. "I know we've given you a shock and I'm sorry about that. But you're safe here, I promise." Rick did his best to reassure her. "You're Bears?" She saw Rick and Alexis nod. "And Kate and Ava are...Dragons?" She wasn't sure what she thought of that. Dragons were huge evil creatures in the movies and on TV. "Yeah. But they're both good Dragons and Kate and the rest of us like you. You don't actually think Kate would eat you?" He started to give her a small grin. Sam, however, grinned wide and shook her head. "Good! Ready to go back downstairs? Our friends are probably beginning to wonder what happened to us and I need to check on Ava." He waited for Alexis and Sam at the stairs and watched the dogs run down the stairs in front of them. They ran straight for Ava who was still a Dragon, though she had her head down and her tail tucked between her legs.

oXo

Kate was traveling up Route 16 with her head on a swivel when she caught sight of some taillights as her lights reflected off of a truck. As she pulled in behind it she could see the truck was laying on its roof and looked like it had rolled one or more times. There wasn't any one section that wasn't damaged. All of the glass was shattered.

She got on her radio. "This is Beckett. I've got a wrecked truck that's rolled a few times. It's on the side of the road, westbound on Route 16. I'm between mile markers 249 and 254. Send an ambulance." She followed that up by reading the upside down license plate and then got out with her flashlight and started slowly walking to the truck while flashing her light everywhere.

She hadn't gotten far. "Ma'am that license plate number belongs to Sergio Patinelli!" someone yelled over the radio that she had left on. "OH, GOD!" She ran forward, stopped at the driver's side, and got on her knees to look inside. "NO! Please, _**NO!**_ _"_ Sergio was hanging by his seat belt with blood on his head, but it was the teenager in back who wasn't buckled in that almost made her throw up for the very first time.

She fished out her cell phone and dialed 911. "This is Beckett. I've got two males, the driver has a severe head injury. I want that ambulance here ten minutes ago! Get them moving, Victoria." Kate hung up before she could respond and reached to check for a pulse. When she got nothing she started cursing, saying words she hoped her daughters would never, ever hear. She got up, yanked on the crew cab door, and got nothing since it was heavily bent. She ran around the front to get to the other side and found that door open.

Kate crawled inside and found Michael lying contorted on his side. "GOD, NO!" She could already tell his neck was broken, probably from when he bounced around when the truck rolled. Reaching for a pulse, she wasn't surprised when she didn't find one. She placed that hand over her mouth to hold back her sobbing. She had just gotten back from vacation with her family, him, and his sister, Sam. He was _such_ a good kid.

She crawled back out, sat on the ground, and started sobbing as she reached for her cell phone. She tried to get herself under control before she made the call when she heard a whimper. That sound had her raising her flashlight and she started scanning the area till she spotted a body a little in front other own car off in the brush. She scrambled over to the body, crashed to her knees, and shined her flashlight to look. "AMBER!" She reached over to find a pulse when her eyes snapped open. "Amber, hang on, help's coming." She started looking her over with her flashlight.

"I'm dead," Amber whispered. _"No, you're_ _ **not**_ _!_ I won't allow it." Kate pulled out her phone and dialed 911. "This is Beckett. I've got Amber, she's alive but I want that medical helicopter here now. Like right now. They've got five minutes to get here or I'm going to shoot someone."

"You're not dying on me, Amber, not while I'm sheriff." She cupped her face. "Kate, you need to listen before I'm gone." Amber had something she had to tell her; she trusted her, her daughter loved Kate. "No, save your strength, don't talk." Kate's heart was shattering. If Amber died it was going to kill Sam. Losing her dad and brother was heartbreaking enough.

"You need to listen. ...Sam and I, we're Fae. ... I'm from a different realm than this one." Amber was fading but still had to get the words out. "Civil war, Seelie Fae and Unseelie Fae," she panted. "Unseelie created shifters... could shift from human to animal. Entertainment for the Unseelie. ...Shifter fights." Amber tried to find some reserve strength. "Unseelie bet on individuals or teams. Shifters escaped our realm into here during our civil war. Good Seelie versus Evil Unseelie. I escaped into here, too." Amber stopped speaking. She was breathing shallowly, coughing up a little blood, and groaning from the pain just as Kate began to hear the siren and helicopter off in the distance.

"Shh, help is almost here." Kate didn't want her using up her strength, she needed all she had. "Sam needs her tattoo completed ...can become what she was meant to be. If not, she'll become Unseelie, have terrible power over humans. Give them pain, make... suffer. ... Please finish tattoo. She loves you ...family, you've done so much. Just one more ... thing P.L..E.a...s..e..." Amber faded on the last word and her eyes drifted shut.

Kate was up and flagging down the ambulance and watched the helicopter land on the road behind all of them.

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She was sitting in her car sobbing and then she started pounding on her steering wheel with the intent of breaking either it or a hand. The ambulance had taken Sergio and Michael's bodies while the helicopter had taken Amber. She was alive but Kate had seen injuries like hers before and had seen the faces of the EMT team before they loaded her into the helicopter. She knew what it meant.

Rick could feel her anguish. _"Kate_ _,_ _what's wrong?_ _Love_ _,_ _talk to me."_ He could feel his Bear wailing in sympathetic pain. _"Kate_ _,_ _talk to me or_ _I swear_ _I'm going to come find you_ _!_ _"_

She let her head fall back on the headrest and used her hand to wipe away at least a few of the tears. _'I found the Pat_ _i_ _nellis. They were involved in a_ _single_ _vehicle_ _accident. Likely a shock wave_ _from_ _the blast blew them off the road. ...Sergio and Michael are dead.'_ Hearing that caused Rick to stumble on the stairs and then he just folded in on himself and sat down on them. _'Amber?'_

 _'She was alive when they loaded her onto the medical helicopter headed for Rapid City. She's not going to make it, Rick. I've seen injuries just like it before.'_ Kate knew she was dead when she had found her. She went back to pounding on the steering wheel.

Kate couldn't help it. She was out of the car, running while she stripped off her clothes as she went till all she had on was her panties and her bra. Then she shifted into a massive Amethyst Dragon, reared back, and a roar of anguish burst from her throat straight from her heart, with the sound traveling for miles.

Rick sat there stunned as he watched Sam cautiously approach Ava in her Dragon form and reach out to touch her nose. Between what his mate was feeling and what he was watching... He dropped his head in his hands and wept brokenly, not seeing Joanne headed his way.

It took Joanne time till she got what had happened out of him after sitting down next to him and trying to console him for something she knew nothing about. "I'm sure Kate will be fine, she seems to be a strong lady." Joanne offers.

"Kate doesn't really need more stress. The pregnancy is enough already." Rick mentions off handedly which got Joanne to pull back. "Does she not know not to shift while pregnant?" Joanne was extremely concerned about Kate now and her baby.

Rick could only shake his head then shot his head up suddenly in total shock. "What do you mean?" Rick didn't understand.

"Of course your parents wouldn't tell you." Joanne knew Rick's parents and besides he was a guy. "A female shifter while pregnant in human form should not shift for risk of hurting the baby. It can be very dangerous for the baby, not just for the baby. She could even have an instant miscarriage." Joanne warns him.

Two hours later and Kate was scared out of her mind as she was finally being seen by an OBG/YN in Rapid City that Joanne and Sarah had told her about. She herself wasn't a shifter but she was sympathetic to shifters and knew what to do and look for.

One hour later and she was hugging the OBG/YN for all she was worth. "Like I told you, you shifted very early in the pregnancy. Right now your baby is no larger than a peanut at best so there should be no permanent damage and none that I can find at this time. Just remember, do not shift again until after you give birth. Plus you will need to eat a great deal more than normal for a shifter. Your twins are going to need for you to eat more.

Call me if you need me and come back in 3 months for another check-up. You are free to see your normal OBG/YN in-between our meetings, and congratulations. Likely you will have twin shifters." She was happy to help.

' _Oh great, another pair of dragon shifters.'_ Kate wasn't sure she was going to survive having the one they did have let alone add two more.


	9. Chapter 9

**Evil Eyes 9**

Still no computer so I'm borrowing one. However I will be on vacation all next week. Phoenix and San Diego (GO CHARGERS!). As a result there will be no updates next week and I will not get any writing done for future chapters. Plus I still have Christmas shopping to finish. HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

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Rick was barely awake and had watched the recording Serena and Joanne had brought with them for the umpteenth time when the front door opened. He turned his head as he sat on the sofa to see his wife drag herself inside, close the door, and lock it. He groaned softly as he got up and intercepted her at the stairs and wrapped his arms around her. Kate melted into him, ever so thankful that his hugs could work magic on her. Her fears, anxiety, and anguish over the night's events were leaving her, at least for now. "Anything?" he asked her since he had left her alone after she had told him about Amber. "She didn't make it. She died thirty minutes after landing in Rapid City." Kate could feel her tears starting all over again as his magical hug worked at making them go away.

"That's not what I mean and you know it." Rick was ready to chastise her for not telling him about her trip to Rapid City.

"I'm fine and the babies are fine, but I can't afford to shift again until after the babies are born." Kate tried to keep the smile off her face and was sure she was failing as she started counting to herself.

"Thank, ... BABIES!? As in more than one?" Rick let go of her for a moment and looked at her in shock. Now Kate was smiling wide over the news. At first she had gone into shock. (No, no, I can't be having twins. We already have three girls.) "Twins? Are you serious?"

Kate nodded her head as she watched Serena and Joanne headed their way. "Twins babe and it's all your fault." Kate teases him.

"MINE!? Fine I'll take the blame but we both know I only pick the sex not how many. That's you and your eggs." Rick crushes her into a new epic bear hug that has her melting into him. She had been worried and did her best not to try and talk to herself for fear of him hearing her.

"The baby is fine?" Joanne asks when her and Serena get close enough.

"The twins are fine, I just have to not shift again until after they are born." Kate informs them and finds herself being hugged by both Joanne and Serena and it brought her to tears. _'Stupid hormones'_

It had Rick chuckling while hugging everyone. Still they had to talk about Sam after Joanne and Serena head upstairs to go to bed for the night, happy that Kate and her babies were fine

"What are we going to tell her? She's going to be devastated," she said bleakly. "The truth and we'll assure her that we're going to be here for her," he told her. What else could they tell her? "Are Serena and Joanne still here?" she asked. "In the guest bedroom. Sam's sleeping in Alexis's room. Serena asked me to wake them when you got home."

Kate really didn't want to leave his arms. She felt so safe and secure in them, knowing that it was all about the magic of his hugs didn't matter. However, she also knew that he loved her. "Might as well get it over with." But she didn't move and just kept holding him.

"What about the fire?" Rick inquired, trying to delay letting her go. "It's still burning and will be for hours, maybe days. The gas company came out and turned off the high pressure line that fed it. The fire will last until the last of the gas in the underground tanks is gone. There are a number of buildings that had their windows blown out but no other injuries that we know of. Our two fire engines, the four from Rapid City, and the two from the Kodiak Shifter Community are all still out there. The idea of calling them was genius, thank you." She kissed his chest. "They _are_ a self-sufficient community," he reminded her. "We owe her for this." She meant Andrea Fisher, leader of the Kodiak Community.

He tightened his hold on her. "I'll go get the wine and something else for you while you get Serena and Joanne. I'm not going in their room, they may be sleeping naked like we do a lot. And I'm married and don't want to incur the wrath of my beautiful wife. She may be understanding, but I'm not risking it." That made her huff a bit. "Wise plan," she said with a slight smile as she lifted up to kiss him, his arms still around her. "We need to think about what we're going to tell Sam," she sighed.

Rick had a wild idea. "Go wake up Serena and Joanne and then call your mother and Oscar and ask them to drop by on their way home from the restaurant. I think we might need Johanna." Kate looked up at him. "What are you thinking?"

"Just go. I'll open up a good bottle of wine. The expensive stuff and have it waiting. And a bottle of chilled water for your mom, and you." he told her as he let her go. "All your wine is expensive, babe," she retorted.

Kate, Rick, Serena, and Joanne were waiting when there was a soft knock on the front door that had the dogs up and out in the hall looking out over the living room to see who it was while still guarding the girls. "Hi, Mom, Oscar, come on in." She opened the door wide. "We heard about the explosion, you can still see the flames," Johanna said with a questioning look at her daughter.

"You remember Serena Kaye and Joanne Delgado." She gestured to them and everyone shook hands. "They brought us something that we thought you two should see." Everyone sat on the sectional with Serena and Joanne holding onto each other while Johanna and Oscar did the same. Kate was leaning into Rick while he worked with his laptop.

Johanna and Oscar made a few sounds, mostly of shock, as they watched a United States Aircraft Carrier being sunk. In this case it was the **USS** _ **Dwight D. Eisenhower**_ **(CVN-69)** "When did that happen?" Oscar asked since he had heard nothing about it. "About forty-eight hours ago or so," Serena replied. "You don't just hide the sinking of an aircraft carrier and was that what I think it was?" he inquired. "A Dragon," Johanna whispered. He started shaking his head. "It was all bone." He moaned his disbelief. "Katie, was there something in that book of yours that says anything?" Johanna asked. "I forgot about it! I never did finish reading it." Kate was up and running up the stairs, headed for their bedroom. She soon was sitting again with everyone around her as she opened the last section.

 **Dracolich** _-_ _More than a powerful form of undead, a_ _D_ _racolich is a_ _D_ _ragon who has voluntarily tied its soul to a phylactery, freeing itself from death. A type of lich, the creature's spirit can possess any dead serpentine body, usually their original form, and retain all the powers and abilities of the former body. That means a_ _D_ _racolich has the supernatural fear aura, spells, and breath weapon it had in life, plus the terrible might of the undead._

"An undead Dragon? Like a living skeleton or zombie?" Oscar didn't really believe a word of it.

"It _is_ rather bony like that thing that sunk our carrier," Joanne commented. "How do you kill what's already dead?" Rick asked. He saw a major problem. "And why now?" Serena queried.

"I thought that book said you were the only Dragon left?" Rick questioned. "Technically I think it said I was the last _living_ Dragon," she countered. "Spoken like a lawyer." He bumped her as she chuckled and Johanna grinned.

"Speaking of lawyer, I had one more reason to ask you to stop here on your way home," Rick said somberly to Johanna. His sudden change in demeanor had her attention. He put his arms around Kate. "Kate came upon an accident out on Route 16 that was caused by the explosion."

Kate was already crying again and leaning into her husband searching for that comfort she knew he could provide. "It was Sam's parents and her brother. Her father and brother died at the scene while Amber died in Rapid City right after getting there." Johanna put both hands over her mouth. "OH, NO!" Oscar slipped his arms around her. "What happened?"

"There was an explosion outside of town at an underground natural gas storage site. I think they were too close when it blew and it caused their truck to roll. It would appear that Michael, their teenage son, wasn't wearing a seat belt. Best guess is he died as the result of a broken neck. Sergio, her father, was behind the wheel. I'm not certain what his COD was. It would appear that Amber was ejected from the vehicle. We sent all of them to Rapid City where Lanie is so she can do an autopsy," Kate explained tearfully.

"I was hoping you could help us and answer a question. Sam's going to be alone barring any other family. What would it take for us to adopt her?" Rick asked Johanna. Kate sucked in a breath and turned to face him. Bless him, he was already thinking of Sam's future. She had thought she loved him before, but now she loved him even more.

Kate turned her attention from her husband to her mother. "Mom?" She was in, no matter what it took. Johanna knew Rick was a good man and that these two loved each other; she was so glad her daughter had found him. "The first hurdle is surviving family members. Grandparents, brothers and sisters of the parents. If you're adopting without fostering a child first, your adoption will be completed by a private child placement agency."

"Adoption doesn't have to be expensive. Many families adopt each year using low-cost to almost no-cost adoption options. You'll need to contact the Wyoming Department of Family Services. I can help you with that," Johanna offered.

"Does she know yet?" Oscar asked and Kate and Rick shook their heads. "Let us know when you plan on telling her and we'll be here," he said, offering their support. "We'll be here, Katie. She's going to need people who love her around her." Johanna was going to support and help her daughter through this as well as Samantha. "Alexis is going to take it badly, too," Johanna warned her. Kate cringed at that thought. "Tomorrow is going to suck." She tried to melt further into her husband's arms.

"There's one more thing and it's huge," she said. "There's more?" Johanna couldn't see how. "Amber was alive long enough to talk to me. She said that she and Sam are Fae. Something about being from a different realm than this one. They had a civil war, the Seelie Fae and Unseelie Fae. The Unseelie created beings who could shift from human to animal, meant as entertainment for them. They would have them fight and place bets on individuals or teams. The shifters managed to escape that realm into another during the civil war. Good Seelie versus Evil Unseelie. Amber said she escaped that realm into this one. Anyone know anything about that?" Kate asked, looking at her mom, Oscar, Serena, Joanne, and her husband. "Be right back," Joanne replied and ran for the guest room. She was back down a moment later and handed Serena something that looked like a laptop just without a keyboard.

Serena was soon talking into it repeating everything Kate had said. "Anything Sarah?" Serena asked. "Scanning," a female voice answered. "I have thirty-eight popular works of fiction that talk about a different realm that are all Fae. Seelie are good and Unseelie are evil. One series talks about human shape shifters having been created by the Unseelie before they rebelled and escaped that realm into another. I find no scientific evidence of the possibility of a realm filled with Fae though. However, it does help explain how shifters developed on Earth with a sudden burst encompassing a number of animals," the voice responded.

"My father would blow a fuse if he heard that," Rick remarked which got a snort from Kate as she remembered just how full of himself and egocentric that man was. "He definitely wouldn't take that information well," Serena agreed. "I'm not sure a lot of shifters would," Joanne pointed out. Serena pulled her in closer. "I don't care where you came from," Serena said. "Same here," Johanna murmured. "Ditto." Kate squeezed Rick's arm.

Wine glasses were empty and Kate was at the front door seeing her mother and Oscar off. "We'll be over first thing in the morning, honey. You're not in this alone." Johanna hugged her daughter, sad for what she and Rick had to do and grieving for a sweet little girl's devastating loss.

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Kate crawled into bed naked and snuggled up into Rick willfully, wanting this waking nightmare to just go away. "What do we do now?" she asked quietly. "If you're talking about the dead Dragon that isn't dead and can't die, I'd say nothing. It sank an aircraft carrier. The Navy's going to send half the fleet over there and blow it into tiny bony chunks."

"If you're talking about Sam and Alexis, neither of them are leaving my sight tomorrow while you're at work," Rick said firmly. She smiled gratefully. "Maybe I shouldn't leave either. I never in my life dreamed I'd ever say this but... I'm the mother here and those two, especially Sam, are going to need one. No offense." She looked over at him.

"And if you are talking about the twins, we are going to either have to move or build really big addition." Rick didn't care about either. Family came first, and his was about to get a lot bigger in a few months.

He got out of bed, offered his hand to her, and pulled her out of bed. "Have I told you how much I love you lately, because I do." He shifted into his Bear, lay on the floor, and reached out with his giant paws. She stepped into the Bear's embrace like she had done next to the lake the day before they were bound to each other for life. She felt the tears start as she grabbed handfuls of fur and felt herself being encircled by her giant Bear of a husband. She was asleep in seconds on a night she feared that she would not sleep at all.

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Kate woke up with a mouth full of bear fur. She started spitting it out and inadvertently pulled out individual hairs. She was warm all around and still partially enveloped by her husband's hug. _'We need to show him a Dragon hug one of these days_ _,_ _'_ her Dragon told her. _'I hear that.'_ She started smiling. _'_ _You hear what?'_ Rick asked her since he was awake. "I can hear that I love you," she replied aloud as she started stretching to work out the kinks. Soon she found herself lying on the floor watching her husband turn back into a man. "My own personal, live, Bear rug that gives wonderful Bear hugs all night long. If we ever move, you're becoming my personal bed." She grinned, not sure if she was sincere or teasing.

"So, reconsidering my island idea? I knew you'd see it my way." He smiled, leaned in, and gave her a quick kiss. "You need to think about our situation a little more, babe. If we're successful in adopting Sam, we'll have three girls in school and taking them out to the middle of nowhere is what we need to talk about. Plus, you get to work from home, I don't. And last I looked we don't have the money to purchase a multimillion dollar island. How do we get on and off this island of yours anyway?" She had real issues with his plan. "Plus I'm not moving until after the twins are born." She was not giving birth on her own on some deserted island in the middle of nowhere.

"I'll solve them all, mark my words." Rick wasn't deterred; it just meant he needed to do more research. "And my mother and Oscar live here," Kate added and patted his chest. "I'm going to get the girls into the tub. ...I'm going to hate today." They needed to talk to Sam this morning. "Yeah." He slumped, agreeing that what they had to do was going to be hell.

He did his job and went down to start breakfast, something light this morning. She soon had the older girls in separate tubs though it wasn't easy and went downstairs to wrap her arms around Rick, hoping that his power worked in reverse. "I was thinking cereal for the girls and toast and fruit for us. How's Ava?" Kate took the baby monitor off her arm, placed it on the countertop, and went back to hugging him. "Still sleeping," she murmured.

The second Midas and Maggie showed up for breakfast, Kate knew the girls were done. "Feed the dogs and then call my mother. Find out when they're coming over and don't forget about Serena and Joanne. One of them's a shifter who will be hungrier. Adult shifter metabolisms run faster, remember; we need to eat more than humans. Plus my Dragon would like some sausage to go with that toast with melted cheese." She kissed his shoulder and went upstairs.

Alexis and Sam got cereal with sliced bananas; Serena got toast with jam and fruit; Rick, Kate, and Joanne got Texas toast with sausage, cheese, and eggs along with orange juice for everyone. "Fifteen minutes," Rick whispered as he began picking up plates and empty bowls to rinse and put in the dishwasher. Kate turned toward the stairs when she heard Ava on the baby monitor but the dogs went nuts when they heard someone at the front door. He went to let Oscar and Johanna in and she waited to greet them.

"Morning, Mom, Oscar. I have to go get Ava. Everyone else is in the kitchen and thanks for coming over." Kate lingered a moment to get a motherly hug to go with her Bear hug. "Thanks for coming, this is going to suck." She didn't want to do this without her.

"Is breakfast over?" Johanna had a craving. "Go talk to Rick, I'll be back." She went upstairs.

Johanna found everyone in the kitchen and kissed the foreheads of Alexis and Sam. "Breakfast?" she asked looking at Rick. "What would you like?" He walked to the refrigerator. "An omelet with ham, onions, green peppers, and jalapeños," Johanna replied. "Lots of jalapeños."

"I'm not kissing you," Rick remarked which had both Alexis and Sam snorting in laughter. "Laugh all you want, but you two are getting kisses after I'm done," Johanna threatened and saw them shake their heads. "What about you?" She snuggled up to Oscar and he saw Rick slash his hand across his neck a couple of times. "Anytime, bring it on," Oscar replied. "Smart man." She lifted up on tiptoe to give him a quick kiss. "Do _not_ get any ideas." Joanne pointed at Serena who simply laughed.

"May we go play before I leave?" Sam asked. "Sure. Get your coats, hats, and gloves, and take the dogs with you. Don't go far," Rick told her. Alexis and Sam were off with Midas and Maggie scrambling to catch up.

"How long are you two staying?" Johanna looked at Serena. "Our flight home is at 4:12 today, so not that long. I have a task to perform," Serena answered but had no intention of explaining what that task was. "We'll be here if you need us," she added.

"Yeah." Oscar's head drooped in sadness. "One volcano omelet for the pregnant lady and one glass of milk with which to try and put the fire out." Rick put Johanna's breakfast on the table in front of her.

Johanna was eating and drinking when Kate entered the kitchen with Ava who was wide awake. "What in the world are you eating, Mom?" She bent in close to get a better look. "An omelet if you must know," Johanna remarked defensively. "Omelets are made with eggs not jalapeños," Kate pointed out. "I'm not eating one of those while I'm pregnant," she said without thinking.

"You're what?" Johanna choked on her omelet and started coughing. Kate made a _'What are you talking about?'_ face and rewound what she had said. "Oops! Um... I'm pregnant again." she replied sheepishly. "I found out just before Christmas and gave Rick the positive EPT test in his stocking." She shifted Ava in her arms, moved to stand behind her husband, and leaned her head into his back.

Johanna's face lit up with a huge smile. "Congratulations, you two! I'm going to be a grandma again!" Then her eyes got big. Her baby – Katie's younger sibling – would be the new baby's aunt or uncle. He or she would only be months older than Katie's baby!

Oscar shook Rick's hand and gently pulled Kate out from behind Rick and gave her a huge hug. "Congratulations! How exciting for you!"

"All right everyone. Now or never..." Rick said after he rinsed Johanna's plate and put it in the dishwasher. What he got was a lot of sighs, however, everyone started moving to the living room.

The girls were nowhere in sight. "Midas, Maggie... Bring Alexis and Sam with you." Even Rick was impressed when Alexis and Sam came up the stairs with Midas and Maggie right behind them. "We're feeding those two steak tonight," he whispered to Kate who smiled wanly and silently agreed.

She handed off Ava to Rick. "Sam... have a seat, sweetie." Kate patted the empty space between herself and her mother. Something was different and Sam wasn't sure what to think. She wondered when they would leave to go back to her mother.

Kate took both of her small hands in hers and saw Oscar wrap his arm around Alexis. "There was a explosion in town last night. It was very big and did a lot of damage." She had no doubt that all of the fire trucks and men were still out there and probably dead tired.

"I... I'm the sheriff so it was my job to make sure the land around the fire was clear, that no one was hurt and needed help that they weren't getting." Kate took a deep breath and continued. "I found your dad's truck." She was going to hate this like she had ever hated anything. She had done this in New York as part of her job, but this hit far too close to home.

"Daddy?" Sam started to get worried and suddenly felt Johanna's arms around her. She looked at Johanna and then back at Kate. "Your dad and brother were both in the truck which was upside down on the side of the road." Kate didn't think she could just tell her like she could an adult.

"Are they hurt? I want to see them, can we go now?" Sam needed to see them. Kate opened her mouth and looked at her mother who squeezed Sam. "They were both hurt badly, sweetie, very badly." Kate just couldn't get herself to say the word. Sam's tears started and was getting harder to keep hold of her. "Where's my dad and Mike? ...DADDY!" Sam was fighting Johanna now.

Kate was doing her best to keep hold of her hands. "I'm really sorry, sweetie, so very sorry, but your dad and brother didn't survive the accident." If her mother wasn't already hugging her tightly she would do it herself. Sam was openly crying and having difficulty breathing as she gulped air. "I don't know that word. _Where's my dad?_ **DADDY!** ...Where's Mommy? _..._ _ **Where's**_ _ **my**_ _ **mom!**_ _"_

Sam saw the look on Kate's face. "NO! _..._ _ **NO!**_ " She was actively fighting Johanna now who was still holding onto her trying to say soothing soft things into her ear. _"_ _ **MOM!**_ _"_ Sam screamed at the top of her lungs. Their hearts collectively broke and everyone in the room wept including Alexis and Ava.

Ava was squirming in Rick's arms and suddenly turned into a baby Dragon as he lost his hold on her. They all watched dumbfounded as she moved right over to Sam and placed her large head in her lap. It had the effect that Ava was hoping for: Sam stopped fighting Johanna. But it did nothing for her crying. _"Mom!?"_ She looked at Kate with pleading eyes. "I'm really sorry, sweetie, so very, very sorry." Kate still couldn't say _died._

Sam's wailing turned into sobs as she reached out to hug the head that was in her lap and just sobbed soul-shattered sobs. Kate was the closest and was amazed and a little proud of her baby girl who was crying with her and let Sam fall apart holding onto her.


	10. Chapter 10

**Evil Eyes 10**

Kate had told Rick, Oscar, and her mother that she was only going to go into work for an hour or two at most. She needed to find out about the fire that was in all probability still burning. It was a natural gas field that held an untold amount of gas below the ground.

Apparently word had gotten out as Kate stepped into the office to find a stoic Sloan and all of the women in the office still dabbing at their eyes with tissues. Elizabeth cornered her first. "Please tell us we heard wrong." The look she and even the others were giving her only made Kate's heart clutch in her chest. She actually opened her mouth but couldn't get the words out, so she simply shook her head, which only added to the women's tears.

"How's Sam?" Rebecca asked from her desk, not trusting that her knees were up to the task. "Shattered," Kate replied softly. There was no other word for Sam's present condition. "We broke the news to her this morning. Alexis is hurting, too," she added leaving out that her baby girl was hurting as well. But how could she explain that a human baby that couldn't even say mama yet could instinctively understand that Sam was hurting.

"I need Amber's employment records, please. I need to contact any next of kin she or her husband may have had." Kate sighed and headed to her office. The first thing she did was call the mayor to find out about the fire, which as she feared was still burning. Plus the fire crews were still out there, which gave her an idea.

She went to her doorway. "Elizabeth, my office please." She went back inside and sat on the edge of her desk. "Ma'am?" Elizabeth didn't know what to expect. Kate handed her her personal credit card. "All those fire crews are still out there. I want you to take one of the trucks, go into town, and buy lots and lots of bottled water. Then I want you to buy every sandwich you can find and take it out to them along with chips, cookies, and anything else you can think of. Take all day if you have to, but find everyone and give them something." That made Elizabeth smile. "Yes, ma'am." She sounded a little happier now than she did a little bit ago.

Thirty minutes later Kate rested her head on her desk after hanging up. It was looking like Amber was telling the truth about being from a different realm. She had nothing on her employment form about next of kin on her side, only her husband's. His mother was gone, though his father was alive and living in Casper and would look into coming out for the funeral. Sergio also had a sister that she got the number for from his father. She lived in Tulsa with her family and would see about coming for the funeral also. Beyond that they had no grandparents though they did have an aunt, uncle, and three cousins.

She sat up. _'How is she?'_ she asked her husband. _'Still in your mother_ _'_ _s arms_ _and_ _she_ _hasn't said a single word_ _. Not sure if that's a good thing or bad_ _,_ _'_ Rick responded. She dropped her head back on her desk. "Shit!" She took it as a bad thing. She feared Sam might be withdrawing into herself, never to come back out again. She needed to think of a way to reach her. That was when she remembered something, something that seemed important to Amber. Unfortunately she knew nothing about the process.

A few internet searches and an equal number of phone calls later and she had someone willing to come out to them to see and complete Sam's tattoo. Kate took her fee and doubled it, included the use of their guest bedroom, free food, and a first class ticket to fly into Rapid City next week along with a rental car so she could go see Mount Rushmore before leaving.

oXo

' _Where_ _is she_ _now_ _?'_ she asked Rick. _'Holed up in Alexis's bedroom_ _,_ _'_ he replied. She sighed and leaned back into her chair. It looked like she'd been right to worry. Sam _was_ withdrawing into herself, cutting everyone else off. _'_ _Ask_ _Ava_ _to_ _shift then s_ _end_ _her_ _into the bedroom to keep_ _Sam_ _company. We need to keep her in our world or we might lose her. I'll be home in about an hour_ _,_ _'_ she told him. Ava had been able to reach Sam before. Hopefully she could do it again. Kate would take all the help she could get.

She searched her emails and made a couple of more phone calls before leaving her office. "I'm headed home. Call me if something comes up and I expect updates on the fire. We need to get Route 16 open again." The town needed the highway as did her mother. Johanna's restaurant, AFTER DARK, needed those tour buses that would be forced to take a different route to reach Mount Rushmore now.

"Give Sam our love. I can't imagine her pain," Elizabeth said. "I can bring my little girl over if you think it would help," Greta volunteered. Her offer gave Kate an idea. "Hang onto that thought. Maybe not tonight but soon. Thanks, Greta, that was actually a good idea." She gave her a quick hug and left to go home. "What did I say?" Greta asked, bewildered, looking at the other women who just shrugged.

' _Babe, I need some of your magic. Can you arrange for Paige and Jenny to come over for a sleepover this weekend? Maybe spending time with her friends will show Sam that she_ _'_ _s wanted. Plus Alexis will_ _probab_ _ly love it_ _,_ _'_ Kate said.

' _Searching for the phone now. Ava_ _'_ _s going to have to go back to being a human baby_ _,_ _'_ he cautioned. _'I'll talk to her, just see what you can arrange._ _Are_ _my mother and Oscar still there?'_

' _They went home to get some sleep since they're going to be up all night tonight_ _,_ _'_ he replied. Kate was afraid of that. Working in a restaurant that was only open for dinner meant sleeping during the day. And being pregnant made Johanna tire more easily.

Kate made it home in time to say goodbye to Serena and Joanne before they left for home. "I know you weren't expecting..." Joanne interrupted her and hugged her. "That girl needs you now more than ever. Your offer to help after my mother's death meant so much to me. Hopefully Sam will remember today for a different reason when she gets older." Joanne hugged her again before letting go.

"Please call us if you need us. We're getting a new toy to have fun with and can land in your backyard in a few hours," Serena offered. "Thanks guys. We may have a few questions for you when we finally have time to think about a Dracolich, the dead Dragon that isn't dead but still is." Kate was having her own trouble wrapping her mind around it.

Serena didn't walk to their car but Joanne followed her wondering what she was up to. Then they just stood there for a little while till a Red-tailed Hawk swooped in, landed, and instantly shifted into a lovely, naked, human female. "Keep an eye on this place, please. I have a really bad feeling. We sent a Dragon to kill Paladin in India and now a dead Dragon, that isn't dead and yet still is, is sinking ships in India. Somehow the two are related," Serena said worriedly.

"We will keep as many eyes as we can spare on her. We are not losing the last of the Wyvern," the shifter stated with conviction. She turned and began to run. Then she shifted in mid-stride back into a Red-tailed Hawk and flew off.

They got in the car to leave for the airport. Joanne was impressed with her lover. "You've made a few calls you didn't tell me about," she mentioned though she wasn't upset. "Something happened. I don't know what, but something. I sent her there because I wanted Paladin dead. I'm not letting something happen to her because of me if I can help it," Serena remarked with determination.

Joanne leaned across and brushed her lips across Serena's cheek. "I love you," Jo reminded her as she watched her turn right. "And you're going to wrong way. Rapid City is that way." She pointed behind her. "We're making a stop and having a short conversation with Andrea Fisher, the Kodiak Alpha. Maybe she can spare a few eyes as well," Serena explained.

Her eyes lit up. She was going to make love to the love of her life tonight for all of this. She sat back and just smiled. _'Nothing had better happen for at least three months_ _,_ _'_ she added silently. _'Four and a half months was too long. Pray we have the time and get ample warning_ _,_ _'_ Serena responded. That earned her another kiss from her lover.

' _How do you kill something that is already dead?'_ Joanne questioned silently. _'We can ask Sarah and our friends that question when we get home. Hopefully someone knows something.'_ Serena kept driving; she didn't have a clue what to do.

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Kate had found Sam sleeping on her bed in Alexis's room and let her be; at least she was calm. She did, however, move the baby monitor into that room and went looking for her baby girl. She needed to give some motherly praise and extra special love to her little girl for her actions lately.

She went looking for everyone and found no one till she looked out the wall of windows and saw Rick holding Ava with Alexis standing next to him. She ran down the stairs and jogged out to join them. "You three are thinking too loudly," she teased knowing that if her husband was thinking to himself, she would hear him. He smiled and leaned over Alexis to kiss Kate which gave her the opportunity to run a hand over the head of her baby girl and kiss her tiny hand. Next she knelt down by Alexis. "It's not your fault, sweetie. As brave as you are, you couldn't have prevented it, and Sam's going to need us. All of us." Kate hugged her and kissed her cheek.

"Sam lost her family." Alexis's lower lip was still quivering. "She did, and I'd give a lot to have prevented it. But she has us now. Your father and I are going to look into adopting her into our family. Do you think you can welcome Sam not just your best friend but as your sister?" Kate needed Alexis to be good with this.

She thought she had her answer when Alexis hugged her while letting her tears fall. Noise from the baby monitor got Kate's attention as they all heard Sam moaning and seemingly actually talking to someone. _"_ _ **MOM!**_ _"_ Sam suddenly yelled which had Kate running for all she was worth.

By the time Rick with Ava and Alexis caught up to her, Sam was in her arms sobbing yet again. A squirmy Ava wanted to be put down so he placed her on the floor and took her clothes and diaper off. He watched her shift into a Dragon with her wings tucked tightly to her body.

Ava pushed her big head into Sam who turned out of Kate's embrace to stroke Ava's head while she still wept. "I'm going to become an Unseelie," her voice quavered. She understood what not having her tattoo finished by her mother meant for her. "No, sweetie, you're not. Not if I can help it. You have me, Rick, Alexis, Ava, and even my mother and Oscar behind you. We all love you. Everything will be fine." Kate pulled her into what she hoped was a motherly hug. Except she could feel Sam shaking her head. In her mind, she was now doomed to be evil.

' _Babe, we could use your best real_ _B_ _ear, bear hug. The best you've ever given anyone.'_ She was rewarded a moment later by seeing a huge Kodiak Bear squeeze his way into the room. Kate lifted up Sam and placed her into Rick's open paws, even if the room was a little crowded at that point. She and Ava watched as Sam literally disappeared into a giant bear hug. Rick did his best to give Sam the best bear hug he had ever given anyone. He tried to pour all of his love he held for Sam into that one big hug.

They were all still in Alexis's bedroom when Kate's cell phone rang. "Hi, Lanie." Kate tried to keep the pain out of her voice, but was pretty sure she'd failed. "I've got a preliminary cause of death for you if you need to know," Lanie said. "Sure." She sounded bone-weary to Lanie.

"The boy died from two of his seven cervical vertebrae breaking as well as one of his second vertebra. The cervical vertebrae or Atlas are the neck bones that allow us to hold our head upright. The second vertebra or Axis allows us to twist our head left or right. Death was likely instantaneous. He may have felt a sharp pain for a moment but not much more." Knowing that Michael didn't suffer gave her some comfort out of all of this. "The father, however..." Lanie paused and told herself that Kate had heard worse, but not when it concerned someone close to her heart.

"He suffered massive head trauma which likely caused a severe concussion resulting in his brain starting to swell. If he was conscious he would have been in severe pain until his mind stopped processing what was happening around him. He died in agony, Kate." Lanie could hear her sniffling over the phone.

"And Amber?" Kate had just enough voice to ask. "She had a number of internal injuries. Nothing short of emergency surgery within maybe an hour after the accident would have saved her. She literally bled out internally. That in and of itself would have been a little painful, and she would have been in pain from being thrown to the ground after being ejected from the truck, but nothing compared to the pain the father felt."

"I'm really sorry, honey. ...Hug and kiss that little girl, she needs all she can get. I'll send you my report after I get back to the office. That little girl needs you, Kate." Lanie offered what little she could.

"Thanks Lanie, I'll get back to you." She hung up and saw Rick looking at her. _'I'll explain later, just hang onto her_ _,_ _'_ she told him and got up. "Shift back for me, sweetie. Let your father's hug work its magic." Kate picked up her baby girl and carried her into the nursery for a new diaper and her clothes before taking her and Alexis downstairs to make lunch.

Alexis ate lunch while Kate went into the living room and nursed Ava as she thought about what they had to do next. She absentmindedly picked up the remote and turned on the ZNN channel. While Ava was feeding she didn't hear a thing on the TV about them losing an aircraft carrier. "They can't hide it forever," she said to herself.

' _Babe, we need to think up something we can entice Sam to eat, at least a little. I was thinking either hot dogs or spaghetti with meatballs maybe?'_ Kate needed to reach Sam before she totally shut down. _'We don't have any hot dogs. Alexis loves hamburgers, especially on the grill_ _,_ _'_ he replied. Well, they had to reach Alexis, too. _'_ _Alright. G_ _rill burgers for the girls and something else for us_ _, please_ _. Maybe kabobs?'_ she suggested. _'That_ _I_ _can do_ _,_ _'_ he agreed.

' _Have you seen Alexis?'_ Kate was hoping she wasn't off somewhere hiding. _'I have her_ _,_ _'_ Rick answered meaning he had enticed her into his hug, the same as Sam. She sighed as she settled back and felt Ava stop nursing. She checked to see if she wanted more by moving her to her other breast.

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They were all outside on the back patio while Rick grilled. Ava was sleeping in her carrier while both girls were sitting at the table in their own little bubbles of misery. If it was possible for there to be black clouds pouring down rain on those two, it would be. Kate even cut their hamburgers, buns and all, into smaller pieces and actually got both of them to eat a little something. However, most of their food sat there uneaten.

She handed Ava over to Rick, picked up Sam, put her in her lap, and wrapped her arms around her. "Tell me about your tattoo." Kate needed to understand. "Please, Sam, I want to help you. But I can't help if I don't understand. What's your tattoo for? Is it a coming of age tattoo?" she persisted.

"It doesn't matter." Without her mom her tattoo would never be finished and she would become evil. "It mattered to your mother. She begged me to make sure you got your tattoo, Sam, and if I can, you're going to get it. It was her last wish. She was thinking of you. Please, let me help you," Kate pleaded.

"I've hired a veteran tattoo artist. She's going to come next week to finish it for you. She's very good, she's coming here all the way from Los Angeles. Her name is Julie Becker. You should see her, she has tattoos all over both arms." Kate ran her own hand down each arm. "She has blond hair and she's young and pretty. She can finish what your mother started." She did her best to try and convince her. Sam shook her head. Only her mom could give her her tattoo. "I can find someone else. There was a really good one in London. I can call and ask her," Kate offered. She had to find someone. Sam, however, simply shook her head. "Mom."

Kate tilted her head forward and rested it on the crown of Sam's head. Suddenly she had an idea. "I'm a mom. I have Alexis and Ava. I don't know how to do it, but maybe Julie can teach me while we do it." She would do anything, whatever it took.

She actually got a reaction out of Sam with that statement. Sam turned to look at her and Kate finally saw a glimmer of hope. "She'll be here next week. We can invite Paige and Jenny over for a slumber party after you get your tattoo. Spend some time with your friends. I hear from Alexis that Rick's really good with slumber parties." She offered up her husband's time and talents while he sat there watching Ava and Alexis.

Rick immediately began thinking of what to do this time. He needed his laptop, this was going to be an epic slumber party!


	11. Chapter 11

**Evil Eyes 11**

 **It is now 4 days later:**

 _March 2003, Ava is now 5 months, 2 weeks and 2 days old_

Kate had gradually increased her time in her office as the date the tattoo artist was set to arrive came. The celebration of Sergio, Michael, and Amber Patinelli's lives was scheduled for a little over a week from now. She had been to a funeral before and it only made that bad day even worse. She and Rick wanted Sam to remember the good times with her parents, not that one horrible day when she found out her entire family was forever gone. They were still in the planning phase and had yet to decide on a location.

She heard a knock on her door. "Ma'am?" Elizabeth was at the door with a question. "What's up, Liz?" Kate had shortened her name for her and so far she hadn't objected to it. "We..." Elizabeth turned to look behind her to gain some support. "You've got so much on your plate, so we were wondering if you would let us select a venue for the _not funeral_ for the Patinellis. Maybe even decorate it a little." Elizabeth was offering her help – really everyone's help in the office.

"You're sure you want to do this?" Kate asked her. "We want to help. Amber was nice, a truly good woman, and her little girl needs good memories, not seeing her mother lying in an open casket wishing that she would just wake up," Elizabeth replied.

"Thanks, Liz. We accept. We're still working on the invitations that need to go out tomorrow so people can plan when and how to get here. We'll simply follow it up with your where. Tomorrow's already going to be a big day. Rick and I have to go into court to file the paperwork to adopt Sam, thanks to my mother's assistance. Plus Sergio's sister is scheduled to arrive tomorrow to see Sam and decide if she wants to take care of her. Her being single and younger than he was might be to our benefit. She may not want an immediate family; we don't even know if she's ever even met Sam," Kate commented.

"Sam hasn't said anything? Please tell me she's getting better," Elizabeth begged. "She's eating a little more and talking a little more. Alexis went back to school yesterday but so far we've chosen to keep her out of school until after the sister has come and gone. She isn't the happy child we all remember and that might take us a long time to see again," Kate admitted sadly. In hopes of making things easier for Sam, she had long since gone over to the Patinelli house and packed up everything that looked like it was Sam's, along with every picture she could find. She'd go back eventually to get her toys, books, dolls, and whatever else that was hers. Maybe even a few things that were her mother's, father's, and even her brother's. Things she could use to remember them by. Kate had her things for her father after all.

' _Where is Sam now_ _,_ _babe?'_ she asked Rick. _"_ _She's outside_ _pushing herself on_ _a swing_ _using only one foot. She won't be out much longer though, the weather's about to change_ _.'_ Then he warned her about the cold front that was set to barrel through. _'_ _She's just barely moving, Kate,_ _'_ he added. It was quite obvious to Kate that Sam was still suffering. _'The guest room_ _'_ _s ready for the sister,_ _I_ _just have to go get her tomorrow. Your mother and Oscar have agreed to come watch_ _Sam_ _while I'm gone.'_

Kate knew the tattoo artist was coming the day after that. She was hoping the sister would come and go only to come back for the celebration.

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Kate was glad to see Sergio's sister leave and tried to feel bad about that, but just couldn't. Everything about that woman rubbed her wrong. Sam was still moody and barely said a single word to her. Johanna was ready and waiting for her when Rick drove her back to the airport for the flight home. She signed away her rights to Sam's future which was the last hurdle when it came to next of kin.

Next up was going into the court house with her husband to fill out the forms to officially attempt to adopt Sam into their family.

oXo

Be at least 21 years of age, financially stable, and responsible mature adults.

Complete an application (staff will assist you, if you prefer).

Share information regarding their background and lifestyle.

Provide relative and non-relative references.

Show proof of marriage and/or divorce (if applicable).

Agree to a home study which includes visits with all household members.

Allow staff to complete a criminal history background check and an abuse/neglect check on all adults in the household, and attend a free training to learn about issues of abused and neglected children.

Provide permanent homes and a lifelong commitment to children into adulthood.

Provide for the short-term and long-term needs of children.

Provide for children's emotional, mental, physical, social, educational, and cultural needs according to each child's developmental age and growth.

May become certified as a foster family and accept children who are not legally free for adoption, but whose permanency plan is adoption.

oXo

"I had fewer papers to fill out when I bought the house," Rick complained. "I think I sprained my hand!" He flexed his fingers and Kate simply snorted, well aware that he was exaggerating. Then she softly chided him. "Adopting a child is much more serious than buying a house, Rick. But Sam will thank you for your sacrifice when this works out." She lifted up to kiss his cheek. "And I'll thank you tonight after the kids are in bed," she added softly, grateful for her husband's generous heart that was willing to add Samantha Adriel Patinelli to their family.

She relieved her mother who was sitting on the sectional with Alexis on one side and Sam on the other. "How did it go?" Johanna asked. "We filled out all the forms and set up an appointment for a home study to determine if our home is a fit place for a child to be raised," Kate replied. Rick growled, irritated. He was a little annoyed that they would think they weren't capable of raising a child.

"It's just established procedure, you two will pass it easily. When did they set the time?" Johanna had heard any number of times. Kate hung her head. "Eight months." Kate was ready to die. "We need your help again, Mom. They're likely to take her and place her in foster care while we wait," she said desperately. Johanna frowned. "I'll see what I can do, but it would help if Wyoming had an early and large snowstorm." A huge meteorological mishap might mean Children's Protective Services couldn't reach them safely to take her from her daughter and her family.

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Julie Becker didn't waste any time when she met Kate. "You should have told me that the client was a child," she said furiously. "The law requires that the client be capable of signing a release form and for that she would need to be eighteen years old. Like I told your husband on the drive here, I can't help you."

"Actually _I'm_ the client and I'll sign any form you have. I need you to teach me how to use the equipment to make my own tattoo," Kate told her. "And I suppose this lesson on how to give someone a tattoo is so you can put a tattoo on a child that is too young for one," Julie snapped. She wasn't stupid.

"She's already undergone a number of sessions with her mother. I need you to look at it and tell me how many sessions she still needs to complete what her mother started." Kate explained. "And her mother can't finish what she started?" Julie questioned sharply and saw her shake her head. "Her entire family died in a car crash. Before she died, her mother begged me to finish what she started. I'm paying you to teach me how to finish what she started like she asked of me, that's all," Kate pleaded. "You can speak to her. She's still hurting but she might talk to you."

Kate had to carry Sam down the stairs so she could meet Julie. "Sam, this is Julie Becker. She's the tattoo artist who flew here from Los Angeles just for you. She's going to teach me how to finish your tattoo that your mother started," Kate said with a slight smile. Sam looked at Julie, then at Rick, and finally Alexis.

Rick had locked the dogs in their bedroom so that Julie didn't have to worry about a pair of protective dobermans. "Your mother started a tattoo? Can you show me?" Julie asked her. Sam looked dubiously at Kate who nodded encouragingly. She helped Sam remove her top and turn her back. It was the first time Rick and Alexis had seen it.

' _It looks familiar, Kate_ _. I_ _t's_ _just_ _missing the wings and the color_ _,_ _'_ Rick pointed out. Julie ran a finger over the entire tattoo. "It looks to be completely healed from the last time which is good. The outline for the body is complete. This is likely to take a couple of sessions of between four and six hours each. But there needs to be a minimum of two weeks between each session to allow the previous work to heal properly. Three weeks would be better," Julie remarked, telling them something they hadn't expected to hear.

"Can you teach me? It meant a lot to her mother and to Sam," Kate said. "You're sure this is what you want?" Julie inquired looking at Sam. Sam nodded. Julie sighed heavily. "I'll get my table and equipment. You said you have an autoclave?"

"I brought over everything her mother had. It's all downstairs where we thought we could set up to do this," Kate replied. "Good, it was the one thing I couldn't bring," Julie said.

"You're really going to do this? Teach me how to do it?" Kate asked hopefully. "I must be nuts but yes, I'm going to help you put a tattoo on an underage child. ...I take it back, I _am_ the one that's nuts." Julie shook her head and allowed Rick to escort her back outside where he helped her unload the Expedition with what she had brought with her.

"Have her go to the bathroom even if she doesn't need to," Julie told Kate and waited for Sam to return. Moments later an almost naked Sam was lying on her stomach on a table that Julie had brought with her. Julie was sitting on a chair that Rick found for her that was the right height; he'd also brought another one for Kate. "We need to finish the outline first before starting on the colors," she advised her.

"I'm thinking it needs wings. However, I'm thinking of wings that aren't bat-like, maybe something a little more soft and free," Kate said. Julie thought about it and picked up a pen to draw on Sam's back. "Not bat-like, something softer," she murmured to herself and began to draw. "Something like this maybe?" she inquired as Kate and Rick watched her draw something with a pen that would wash off.

There were three wings on each side that sort of resembled feathers, light and airy. Julie spent the first hour showing Kate how to hold the stylus and get used to the vibration that it made before she ever made a mark on Sam's back.

"Isn't this hard edge on the wings going to ruin the look?" Kate questioned as she finished the final outline of the last one. _Julie shook her head._ "The color we're going to be using will cover it, you'll never see it. We'll start the colors on one side of the main body and work our way out to the wings," she instructed. Julie shrugged. "The outline's there to hold the color in place. Without the black outline, the color could migrate and dissipate."

"Can it be purple?" Those were Sam's first words since they started. Kate's eyes opened wide. "Sam, honey, it doesn't have to be. It can be any color you choose. Green, red, or yellow, maybe. Perhaps all of them," Kate suggested instead. Sam shook her head. "Purple, ...please." She wanted it to be the same color as Ava.

"If I may, I would suggest that the body be dark purple with a black base starting at the throat and down the chest. The center of the wings can be a lighter purple with the edges of the wings a light ice blue with a hint of purple in the color. Use that same color at the elbows on the front legs, a little on the back, and again on the tail. Not much, just a hint," Julie advised.

A number of hours had passed. Kate's hand ached fiercely; Sam's back hurt even more and the edge of the tattoo was a little red. "Now we cover it to keep it from getting infected and letting anything in the air get into the damaged areas of the skin but only for two to four hours. You need to wash it four or five times per day or as much as you can with a clear, liquid antibacterial soap."

"I hope you two are sure about this. Her body hasn't finished growing yet. It's liable to affect the tattoo when she does, requiring a touch-up to fill in as the skin stretches when she grows." It was one of the reasons someone so young didn't get tattooed.

Julie left two days later after checking Sam's back. "Duplicate what you did on the other side and you'll be done. At least for now." She was convinced that Sam was too young for a tattoo, but she hadn't touched the stylus so she hadn't actually done any of the work.

Kate handed her the agreed upon amount in a cashiers check. "Send me pictures when it's complete, I'm interested in seeing it. And you might want to consider putting some of that ice blue color just behind the ears, maybe on the heel area of the rear feet, and then again just before the feather end of the tail where the scales end and the feathers start," Julie suggested.

"Three weeks, sweetie. Do you feel better?" Kate hoped being one step closer to her getting her tattoo would improve her mood. Sam nodded while giving her a smile she hadn't seen for a while.

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It was two days before the celebration of Sergio's, Michael's, and Amber's lives and about a week after Julie Becker had left. There were about two weeks till the final session of Sam's tattoo.

Kate was at work and Rick was setting everything up he needed for the sleepover when the dogs went nuts telling him that their first guest was here. Opening the door told him he was wrong, both guests were here. "Hi ladies! Come on in." He opened the door wide to let them in. It was Paige and her mother, Vicki, plus Jenny and Veronica, her mother. "The girls are in the living room," he told Paige and Jenny.

"How is she?" Vicki had a look of sorrow on her face as did Veronica. "I won't lie, when we told her it broke her, but she's gradually getting a little better. We have high hopes for this party," he quietly admitted. They both shook their heads. "I've drilled it into Paige not to tease her or ask her questions about her mom, dad, or brother. I can't imagine how someone that young can handle losing her entire family." She had talked to her husband about what would happen if it happened to them. "Amber was a good friend. It hurt Sam, Kate's entire office, and her mother's restaurant. After losing those other two kids as well, it feels like our town is cursed," Veronica added.

"Kate and I have started the process to adopt Sam, to make her a part of our family. It's going to take time, probably months if not an entire year." Rick hated that part. The look on their faces told him they hadn't expected that. "You and your wife are saviors. Let us know if you need anything. Letters of support from non-family members, _any_ _thing_ _,_ _"_ Vicki offered.

"Actually that was one of the things the state's asking for in addition to letters from family members," Rick said. "I'll get started on it as soon as I get home; I'll have it in your hands by the end of next week," Vicki vowed. "Me, too. That little girl deserves a loving family," Veronica said determinedly.

"We'll let you get started on the party. We'll pick up our girls the day after tomorrow right after breakfast," Vicki said as Rick escorted them out.

"Okay ladies, let's get this party started! First thing, I've got matching clothes for each of you. You know where the bathrooms are. Change into these and hand me your clothes. I'll put them in your backpacks, Jenny and Paige, or your rooms, Alexis and Sam." He gave each of them a bundle and watched them race for the bathrooms on all three floors while the dogs tried to decide who to follow.

The girls were soon back with their clothes and handed them to Rick. They each looked so cute wearing a girl's white muscle t-shirt and seafoam green pants with a navy blue drawstring. The pairs of pants had a print of mini sunglasses on them. The girls had even clipped the fake flower into their hair. "Okay, bunch up girls, time for a picture. Say CHEESE!"

With the first picture taken he moved onto the next task. "Last time we built a fort. This time you're going to make your own one person pup tent to sleep in after putting your sleeping bag in it." He handed every girl five poles that had a cloth cover wrapped around them, along with colored string to tie two of the poles to each other, both front and back. Then they laid the top pole into the vee of the front and back poles followed by draping the cloth over the top center pole, and tied the bottoms to each pole. Every tent was a different color: green, blue, red, and yellow.

"Now you need to decorate your tents. Here's paper, pens, glue, and glitter." Rick gave every one of them a box that had everything they would need. "Draw anything you want, then you're going to hang them on your tent. Just remember which color of tent is yours." He went to the closet to retrieve the vacuum to suck up all the glitter and paper that was going to get on the floor.

Rick watched them cut, draw, glue, and sprinkle glitter everywhere including on the glue then watched them hang their creations on their tents. "Every tent needs a light, so we're going to make ours." He gave still another item to each of them. He demonstrated how to do it. "You simply fold it out like this and then tape it together like this." Then he gave each of them a flashlight. "When it gets dark you'll put the flashlight into the opening and _ta-da,_ you have your own individual lantern," he said with a smile.

"Now we're going to make a fort so you have a cozy place to watch movies. Get started on your fort while I get the TV." Rick went downstairs to retrieve the mini TV that had a built-in DVD player. He came back upstairs just in time to see a smiling Alexis and Sam drag sheets and comforters down the stairs and then they helped Paige and Jenny push furniture around. _"She's smiling! They both are_ _!_ _'_ He excitedly shared what he was seeing with Kate. _"Thank_ _g_ _od!'_ Maybe they would get the Sam they both knew and loved back.

"A movie needs snacks," he told them and passed in box after box that was filled with popcorn, an aluminum foil cupcake wrapper full of M&Ms, and a go-cup of lemonade with a lid and a straw. "Have you got your flashlights?" He chuckled softly when he saw lights flashing against the outside walls of their fort.

"Alexis, I'd like you to release Midas and Maggie. Do _**not**_ feed them any chocolate. It will make them sick and we'll have to take them to the vet. They can have a little bit of your popcorn but not too much," he warned. "Got it, Dad," Alexis replied and scurried upstairs to let Midas and Maggie out of her bedroom. She'd shut them in there after she changed clothes. They wasted no time in going down the stairs and crawling into the fort just like they had done last time.

They were on their third movie when Kate came home from work and found her living room completely rearranged. There was a giant bundle in the middle with the sectional and chairs supporting what they'd built. Off to one side were colored pup tents side by side, literally touching.

' _Babe, w_ _h_ _ere are you and Ava?'_ She didn't see either one. _'Kitchen_ _,_ _'_ was the answer she got back. As she passed the fort she could hear the sound of the movie that they were watching along with seeing the occasional flash of a flashlight.

She walked into the kitchen and what she saw made her heart burst with love. Ava was dressed in a long sleeved cotton sleeper and was in Rick's arms being fed from one of the bottles Kate had pumped earlier. "Hi." He smiled at her as she walked over to him and kissed him then ran a hand over her daughter's head and kissed her, too.

"The girls having fun?" she asked him. "They've been busy. Wait till you see what I've got planned for tomorrow and tomorrow night." He was grinning wide. "Do tell." She really wanted to know what he'd dreamed up. "Since you have tomorrow off, we're both going to put prizes inside balloons, then blow them up, and leave them all over the house. I've even rented a helium tank for some of them. They pop them and they get a surprise, but they have to play a game to get the honor of bursting a balloon." He was practically vibrating with excitement. He just knew the girls would have a blast.

Kate loved the idea so long as she didn't pass out blowing up balloons. "You're such a good father." She kissed him again. "Oh, and we have to put together a crepe paper maze downstairs for them to go through without breaking any of the paper. Orange, pink, purple, and neon green paper. Each color is worth more points than the other if they break one." He arched his eyebrows and wiggled them a couple of times which caused her to laugh at him.

"Just wait until it gets dark tomorrow. We're going to have a black light party. I've got washable neon markers that they can use to draw on each other's faces, special t-shirts for them to write on with permanent markers, paper to cut out and make things out of. Hats, paper airplanes. We'll have prizes for the best paper airplane!"

"Before that will be mini spa treatment, complete with colored nails to temporarily glue on their fingers. Oh, and the best part! A large ball that they'll write questions on that one of the girls has to answer. Things like what's their favorite color or a place they'd love to go for vacation."

"Then I have a parting gift wrapped up for them to take home or up to their rooms." Rick was grinning and Kate was loving him more and more as he talked. She could hardly wait for Ava to be old enough to enjoy sleepovers like this one with her friends.


	12. Chapter 12

**Evil Eyes 12**

 **It is now** **two days** **later:**

Rick was driving them to the local high school where the celebration of the Patinellis' lives was going to take place in the school's auditorium. Ava was dressed up in the most vibrant onesie and pants they had for her. Sam and Alexis were almost dressed identically and Kate suspected those two had done that on purpose.

Kate's mouth was open in surprise as Rick got into line to park somewhere, anywhere. The parking lot was already full! Had Elizabeth and Rebecca invited and gotten the entire town to show up?

She had kept handing over her credit card for those two to use and hadn't paid any attention to the bills themselves. She would look them over when the credit card bill showed up and would just pay it.

She got Ava out of her seat while Rick helped the girls get out of theirs. "Remember baby girl, do _not_ shift into a dragon until I tell you you can. Please, my little love," she whispered to her and dropped a kiss on her head. Rick walked with Alexis's hand in one of his and Sam's in the other.

They followed everyone else toward the building where they ran across Elizabeth. She was at the door handing out single sheets of paper. "Hi, ma'am, welcome to our celebration. Hello, Sam, this one is yours." Elizabeth reached behind her and pulled out a full color sheet of paper. "Enjoy your time." She went back to handing out sheets of paper.

Rick and Kate's mouths fell open the moment they entered. There were banners hanging all over the place from the steel roof supports.

 _ **If I listen closely I can hear the rustle of Ang**_ _ **el**_ _ **wings ...and I know you're still with us**_

 _ **Love the people God gave you because he'll need them back one day**_

 _ **Ever had a memory that that sneaks out of your eye and rolls down your cheek**_

 _ **I believe that tears can heal, that memories can comfort, that love lives on forever**_

 _ **I can still feel you**_

 _ **If there ever comes a time when we can't be together, keep me in your heart, I'll stay there forever**_

 _ **And even if we never talk again I want you to know that I will never love anyone like I loved you and I am forever altered by who you are and what you meant to me**_

The words were large enough for everyone to read and it had been printed on both sides. The ceiling was adrift with bright, untethered, helium-filled balloons that never seemed to stay in one place.

Then they ran across Rebecca who was handing out business cards from a box that held hundreds of them. She made sure everyone got one and when the box was empty she went to get another.

 _ **You Make my Heart Smile - In Memory of the Patinellis**_

The card had a head shot of Sergio, Michael, and Amber. Kate had no idea where Rebecca had gotten it.

There were a number of tables spread out all over. The very first one they came across had three jars, one of which was already full of dollar bills and some change.

 _ **Donate to Purchase and Plant a Tree that will Grow Old and Strong in Their Memory**_

Rick wasted no time. He pulled out half of the money in his wallet and stuffed it into one of the empty glass vases. "I hope it's a pine tree that the town lights up every year and that it grows to rival the size of the Christmas tree that the White House cuts down and kills every year for the National Christmas Tree," he told Kate and everyone within range.

Sam had taken to wrapping herself around Kate's legs when people got close. So many women knelt down to her level and tried to console her but all she wanted was for it to stop.

Another larger table held a number of what looked like handmade flower pots that had a drainage hole in the bottom.

 _ **$3 Each**_

 _ **Proceeds Go to a Trust for Samantha's First Year**_ _ **of**_ _ **College**_

Rick and Kate didn't buy one since if they got what they wanted they were going to fund all four years of college for her, the same as they would for Alexis and Ava.

The next table had hundreds of small padlocks that someone had taken the time to either engrave or write a name of one of the Patinellis on them.

 _ **$5 per Lock**_

 _ **Purchase One and When You Travel to Another Country, Lock the Lock in a Public Space, Spread**_ _ **T**_ _ **he**_ _ **ir**_ _ **Name**_ _ **s**_ _ **Across the Planet.**_

Rick bought one for each of them including Sam. Seeing the message led him to think of the first country they, with Sam as a part of the family, would visit first.

An additional table had book marks that were only ten cents.

 _ **Sergio Made the World More Beautiful**_

 _ **Amber Made the World More Beautiful**_

 _ **Mich**_ _ **ae**_ _ **l Made the World More Beautiful**_

The next table was the largest one in the place. It had small pieces of paper and lots of crayons with which to write messages.

 _ **Free**_

 _ **Write a Message that will be**_ _ **Inserted**_ _ **in**_ _ **to**_ _ **a Helium-Filled Balloon and then Released Just Before Dusk**_

"Do you want to write a message to your parents and brother?" Kate asked Sam who nodded. "You can too, sweetie," she told Alexis and watched as both of them wrote a message and pushed it through the box's slot. Once they were done Rick and Kate took their turn. "You, too, Ava?" she asked. She saw her smile and try and clap her hands together so Kate wrote one for her.

They all watched as when a table became empty it was quickly filled with food. At first it seemed to be for kids since it was all candy that was either red, green, or white. The next table to open was filled with selections to make sandwiches with along with bag after bag of chips. Another table had drinks that were all homemade and ice cold.

Kate finally got around to looking at the paper Elizabeth had handed out at the entrance. It had the Patinellis' names, dates of birth, locations of birth if known along with a schedule of what would happen and when so they could plan ahead.

"They're going to have fireworks, babe! Fireworks you two." Kate smiled and then turned quickly at the sound of a familiar voice. Johanna and Oscar announced their presence. "I donated them and bought hundreds of dollars worth more." Kate did her best to hug her mother while holding Ava.

"How are you doing, honey?" Jo leaned down to talk with Sam who just shrugged. Oscar lifted her up so she could see what was happening. "All of these people miss your family, too. They're all here to celebrate that they lived and touched their lives no matter how small," Oscar told her just as a bell started ringing followed by people walking through the crowd, each carrying a box.

As they watched, people pulled out paper domino masks with simple elastic string to hold them in place. Somebody handed one to all of them including Sam who had Oscar to help her put it on. "Now you can smile knowing that your parents loved you and no one will notice how sad you really are," he said softly and gave her a little tickle her which finally got her to smile a bit.

Kate checked her sheet. "It says the balloon launch will be in about thirty minutes. How about we grab a sandwich and go outside?" she suggested. Everyone got a sandwich; Oscar gave Sam hers and carried her outside.

It was close to dark when a few people pulled the cloths away to release the hundreds of balloons into the air, each filled with a note to Sam's family. The balloons were swept away by the wind and floated high up into the heavens.

"I'll take her, you and Rick have a job," Johanna reminded Oscar and took Sam out of his arms. "Where am I going?" Rick hadn't heard anything about a job. "Fireworks," Johanna whispered which made him smile widely. "Yes!" Rick pumped his fist and followed Oscar. "Sometimes your husband worries me," Jo remarked. "And Oscar or even Dad aren't just like him, at least a little," Kate countered defending her husband. "Men and their toys... I just hope those two don't blow a hand off lighting all those fireworks!" Jo said.

"Who put this together?" Johanna questioned. "Elizabeth and Rebecca did all the planning. I have no idea where they got all the help," Kate admitted. "I know where they got part of it. Some of the kids in the restaurant have been talking. It seems they had half the high school working on some of these projects. I just don't know how they afforded all this." Johanna had donated the fireworks but a lot of the other stuff needed to be purchased. Kate simply bit her cheek to keep from talking, knowing she had kept handing over her credit card every time Elizabeth or Rebecca brought a cost sheet to her.

Everyone was truly impressed as Rick and Oscar fired off the fireworks as fast as they could by tying fuses together to get more items to fire at one time. It still took them almost forty-five minutes to fire off what felt like hundreds of boxes and artillery shells.

Just when Kate thought it was all over she watched people handing out candles with little circles of paper to catch the melting wax. Some of them were lit just as speakers started playing music that had Kate and Johanna blinking back tears.

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For the next week Kate dropped off Alexis and Sam at school. She felt her heart ache as she watched Sam drag herself inside and drag herself back out when she picked them both up when school was over. All of this felt just a little too familiar except her mother wasn't a little seven-year-old girl when her dad died.

"Go up stairs and change clothes. I'll be right up," she told Alexis and Sam as Midas and Maggie beat them up the stairs while she went in search of her husband. She found him sitting in the kitchen with his laptop and could smell dinner in the crock-pot. Kate lifted the lid and breathed deeply. "You got my mother to share one of her recipes didn't you." She smiled wide and kissed his cheek.

"What are you looking at?" She moved around to stand behind him. What she found caused her to put in her two cents to put an end to it. He had been looking at islands that were for sale. "We're not moving, babe; we can't. Maybe if and only if we sell this house could we ever afford it, unless there's an account you haven't shared with me," she told him.

Yes, they were rich to her way of thinking, but they had three girls to put through college which was only getting more expensive every year. "My mother lives here; I convinced Javi, Lanie, and the Ryans to move here. I'm not moving away from them because my husband wants to give us more room." Kate gave him an earful. "I thought you called your architect to have this place expanded? We need at least two more bedrooms especially if we have another child." She wanted the space, yes, but didn't want to move.

"I did call him and he's... Say that again?" Rick turned his head to look at her as she looked at like he had lost his mind. Had he forgotten about her being pregnant already. "Twins?" he stated excitedly while he smiled at her playfully and she smacked his chest. "You're mean" she countered.

"Keep in mind that your Dragon genes are predominant so we're likely to get another Dragon or two," he warned her. "I know and the Dragon part of me loves the idea, but part of me wants Alexis to have another Bear in the family. ... I've been worried that three girls are already enough." She wrapped her arms around him and looked up at him. "Another one or two would be perfect. I'm sure Ava would love to have a sibling closer to her age," he told her which made her smile. "Maybe a boy this time since it's the male that determines the sex." Kate buried her head into his chest and let him hug her. They had just agreed to try for another child. _'Five kids_ _! W_ _e really do need a bigger house_ _,_ _'_ she thought.

"Keep that thought," Rick told her. He let go of her, sat back down, and changed screens. "What's this?" Kate placed her hands on his shoulders and looked at the screen. "The advance for the next book if I accept it," he said as she read till she got to the number. "Seriously!?" She knew Rick made money but not that kind of money.

"The next book hasn't even gone into print yet, though it will soon. They're hoping to have it out before Easter. If sales are good there will be even more money," he said just as he got an email. He opened it and then downloaded the pdf attachment. "Is that...?" Kate twisted her head trying to see. "Yep, it's the expansion for the house from my architect. I told him we wanted to expand a few weeks ago." He grinned at her. Then he opened the Word document that talked about the expansion in detail.

"Convert the current garage into the new master suite complete with its own bathroom and walk-in his and hers closets." She squeezed him from behind and kissed his shoulder. "Convert the present master bedroom into two bedrooms. The addition over the new garage will be another two bedrooms that share a Jack and Jill bathroom."

"Babe, that's six bedrooms plus our master suite. Just how many kids do you think I'm going to give birth to?" Kate took hold of his right ear getting ready to twist it. "One bedroom for each child as they grow up and a room for guests since we always seem to have one or more," Rick responded as he scrunched his eyes closed waiting for the pain of her twisting his ear.

He started breathing again when she released it and kissed it instead. "So why are you still looking at islands?" she questioned. "Our summer vacation home, provided you can get enough time off work to enjoy it," he replied. She thought about it. "Make it a condo in Hawaii or the Caribbean where we don't have to worry about exterior maintenance and I'll think about it," she countered. "I have to go check on Sam and Alexis. Tell your architect to go ahead. Maybe we can start construction just as winter ends. Oh, and ask him about a barn to put the trailer in like Mom has for the motorhome." She patted his shoulders, kissed the back of his neck, and walked over to the stairs. "And have him add another staircase in the expansion. Right now we only have the one even if it is nice," she called over her shoulder.

Hearing all of that, he replied to his architect and then did a search for large condos in Hawaii first before moving on to the Caribbean, saving what he found along the way.

Sam was alone in her room since without other guests, the guest bedroom was hers. "I want to look at your tattoo, sweetheart," Kate told her and she let her remove her top. Soon Kate was running her fingers over what had been accomplished already. "Did your mom tell you much about your tattoo? Why you needed one and why it looks like it does?" Kate needed information and Sam was her only source.

"I need my tattoo or I'll fall and become an Unseelie." Sam still feared that she needed her mom to finish the tattoo. And since her mom couldn't, Sam was still convinced she was doomed. "It looks a lot like Ava and me. Did your mother know we are Dragons?" Kate thought their secret was still just that, a secret. Sam shook her head. "So why did she select a dragon for you?" Kate twisted her around so she could look at her. "Mom said I was going to be powerful, more than her and more than her mother," she said. "But why a dragon?" Granted the only difference so far was the end of the tail was feathery and the wings were definitely not Dragon-like. Sam just shrugged. "Mom said the magic in me would come out." It was about all she knew.

Kate smiled. "I'm a Dragon, Ava's a Dragon and now you're going to be a dragon in about two weeks when I can finish this tattoo. So what happens then?" Kate was hoping she had an answer. "I can turn into my tattoo and use my power." Sam had no idea what her powers would be and neither did her mother. "So you're going to be a big Dragon just like us?" Kate questioned. Sam shook her head. "Fae are small, even tiny. But Mom said I was going to be bigger than her."

"Have you seen your mother change into a different form?" she asked her and saw Sam nod. "I'll bet based on her heart, your mother was beautiful." She didn't know what Amber's other shape was and didn't think she should ask. Sam nodded again. "Dinner will be ready in about an hour. Did you have a good time? I thought the party was really nice." Kate really needed her to open up a little, she had never been this quiet before.

Sam didn't say anything. "Rest if you're tired sweetie; I'll be up to get you for dinner." She kissed her forehead and turned to go but stopped at the door. "We all love you sweetheart, you're not alone." She pulled the door almost closed and went over to the railing. "Midas, Maggie." Kate waited. "Go inside you two and stay there." She only left after the dogs went into Sam's room. She hoped Midas and Maggie could do what Ava seemed to be capable of doing.


	13. Chapter 13

**Evil Eyes 13**

 **It is now** **two** **week** **s** **later:**

 _April 2003, Ava is 6 months, 3 weeks and 4 days old_

Julie had left with her table so they were forced to make due with what they had. Kate had made sure the needles had been in the autoclave that she had found in Amber's home and then made sure they were cool enough to use.

' _Simply repeat what I did on the other side_ _,_ _'_ Kate told herself and got to work. For the next almost six hours except for a bathroom break, all either of them heard was the buzzing of the stylus on Sam's back.

She was close, really close; just a few more lines and she would be done, or so she hoped. She sat back and looked at it. The tattoo covered a good portion of Sam's back. The horns on the top of the head started just about neck high. The tips of the three wings on each side actually went around her side just a little while the tail curved up from a spot just above the crack of her ass.

It was impressive looking. There was a little black, three slightly different shades of purple along with touches of ice blue mostly on the wings but with dabs in various places. Kate could just imagine seeing it actually flying with those six wings fluttering a lot like a hummingbird. She could just see them flapping madly while it flitted about much like a dragonfly spinning and turning on a dime with speed and quickness. She shook her head and got back to work.

Eventually she turned off the stylus and took a long look at everything; she didn't want to miss a line or leave a blank space that should have had color. "All done Sam. Let's get you wrapped up and let all of that heal." Kate saw her smile while she sealed her back in plastic for a few hours.

Hearing the dogs go nuts got their attention so they came out of the bedroom and over to the railing where they both saw Johanna and Oscar followed by Patch, Thor, Midas, and Maggie running everywhere. Midas and Maggie may be bigger, but Patch and Thor had better maneuverability. Midas and Maggie were sliding all over, so much so that Sam was giggling which got the attention of Rick, Johanna, and Oscar.

"Go find Alexis, sweetie, and you two can go play and take the dogs with you." Kate saw her fly down the stairs all the way to the basement.

"Something's changed. I haven't seen her that active in weeks," Johanna remarked. "I just hope it lasts," Kate murmured. "What brought you two over?" she asked. Suddenly her mother looked a lot less happy. "The state has decided to send someone to determine if Sam needs to be placed into foster care. I'm really sorry, honey, but I couldn't prevent it. Until you can pass all of their tests and undergo a complete house inspection which is still scheduled months from now, my hands are tied. The only ammunition I have is to have everyone who knows you and Rick and how you have treated Alexis and Sam before her family was taken from her contact the authorities via letter. Maybe that will influence who they send," Jo told her.

"People who've seen us." Kate tried to think that over. "You two aren't married yet, maybe we can use Oscar. I can get everyone at the office to write one; they've seen me with Sam and Alexis. Serena and Joanne maybe." She was running out of people. "Paige, Jenny, and their parents," Rick suggested. Then he remember that their mothers, Vicki and Veronica, had offered to write letters. He told Kate and she lit up with a smile. After the latest sleepover, getting Paige and Jenny to say glowing things was something they could count on. She just hoped those two said glowing things to their parents.

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It turned out to be a he and Rick and Kate were watching who they wanted to call the wicked witch of the west drive away, except that a witch was female. Still the self-important little shit was driving away ...alone.

"We owe your mother big time. Johanna coming up with the name and location of his supervisor and sending her everything we gave him was a stroke of genius. He came out here, probably pissed that he had to come so damn far, and he'd made up his mind he was leaving with Sam before he even got here. Getting his supervisor to tell him differently... Think your mom would be interested in a trip to a spa the next time Oscar drives her out to Rapid City to see her OBG/YN?" he asked.

Kate simply glared at him for the stupid question that it was. "He'll be back and we still have that house inspection to get past. If we're lucky the expansion will be well underway. We need those bedrooms and that playroom." She wanted to show them that they had everything a little girl would ever need. Still they expected to experience trouble at keeping Sam until they could officially adopt her.

"How's Sam's tattoo coming along?" Rick questioned. "All done," she replied. "It just needs to heal. I don't think her mother told her much about how it works or how to make it work and honestly, I'm at a loss." She was a shifter not a Fae.

"Do we cancel our family outing this weekend?" he queried. Kate carefully considered his question. Sam had seen everyone but her in their shifted forms. They didn't really have any secrets left when it came to what Sam knew about their family. "Maybe she'll feel a little more like she's a member of the family if we include her, human or Fae," she mused, so the family outing was still on. "I know you grew up knowing you were a Bear, but I grew up human and the only dragons I knew about were only in movies or books. I'm still trying to adjust to all the shifters on this planet and now there are Fae, too. If there are this many shifters, are there just as many Fae?" she wondered aloud as they walked toward the house.

"You said Amber escaped from her realm. What she didn't say was if she did that alone, with her parents or with or without other Fae. And how did she know how to get here?" Rick asked.

"You're thinking she knew how because others had done it before her." He nodded, pausing at the front door. "So if there are more, where are they? Where would you hide if you were Fae?" she questioned. "Big cities are easier to hide in, small towns like Newcastle are places where everyone knows everyone else. Where they live, what they do, where they go." He doubted that there were any more of them around there.

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Kate went into work and was intercepted at her office door by Elizabeth. "Ma'am." Elizabeth handed over four sheets of paper. "What's this?" She took them and started reading, hoping it didn't have anything to do with money. Her budget was still hurting a little and it wasn't even really winter yet. She had money set aside for that and could only hope it was enough.

She didn't notice that her mouth had fallen open as she perused each letter. She looked up at Liz in shock. "Your mother called us telling us that you were having trouble with the state. That little girl has no business being in foster care. She belongs in your family," Elizabeth told her adamantly, not noticing everyone else had joined her.

"We'll even hide her for you the next time they show up and bring her back after they're gone," Rebecca said fiercely. Kate wiped at her tears before they had a chance to escape. "Thanks guys. However, I think hiding her would be counterproductive but I appreciate the offer. Hopefully the state will see it our way." She moved around her desk and hugged each of them.

Kate cleared her throat and went into sheriff mode. "Anything happening?" What did she need to be doing? "Ohh." Rebecca ran to her desk and returned with her pad. "The fire's still burning and the gas company's going to send out a crew to work on the site once the fire burns itself out," she began. "Rapid City has recalled their fire trucks since as far as they're concerned, the fire's contained. Our two engines have set up a rotation system with the two from that community north of here." She was still surprised that they even had fire trucks.

"LT has added driving by the Patinelli house several times today as part of his route and the other deputies will be doing the same. We don't want looters," Rebecca added. Kate was happy that her little office was so committed to each other and their jobs.

"Inform them that there will be someone coming out to the house tomorrow to do an inventory so they can give Sam an offer on how much the estate is worth and then purchase it all if she agrees. Plus Rick's going to drive out there today to get everything Sam wants out of the house, bring it home, and store it for her. We're going to set her up in our guest bedroom instead of asking her to share with Alexis," Kate explained since people would be coming and going from there soon.

"I'll tell them." Rebecca retreated to her desk to make notes and place a call to LT.

"How is she really?" Elizabeth's heart was still breaking for her. "The recent sleepover with some of her friends seems to have helped for a little while, but she's still hurting. It's just going to take time and we'll be there every step of the way." It felt familiar since she had worked with her mother for months to help her with losing her father.

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Rick had keys to get in Sam's house. It was his first time there so he had left the girls in the truck just in case there was some unauthorized person inside. A quick tour told him it was safe so he went back outside to get the girls. He found someplace to put Ava before going back outside to get suitcases and empty boxes.

"You two put things in a box and when it's full let me know. I'll be in the bedroom packing all of your clothes, Sam. And keep an eye on Ava, please," he asked them. He took his two suitcases and went into what looked like Sam's bedroom. She had clothes, however what he really wanted to do was take her shopping for new clothes, maybe better clothes. Still he packed everything he found, only stopping when Alexis came and asked him to set up another box.

When he was done with her room – it was looking pretty bare – he took her into her parents' room. "Choose what you want to keep, Sam, anything and everything. I promise we'll find space for it in your new home, our home." Rick gave her a soft push to get her moving and thinking. He didn't just stand there, though, he started searching himself.

Several hours had passed and he had filled the back end of his Expedition with everything Sam had decided on taking for this trip. He had told her they would be back tomorrow after they unpacked everything and put things she wanted in her room.

Sam and Alexis were busy unpacking while Rick made a late lunch for all of them. But Ava loudly made it known that she was unhappy and after a change of diaper he was feeding her while the girls ate their lunch. His own lunch could wait awhile.

Later he knocked on Sam's door and walked into her room. Alexis and Sam were moving things around. "I got you something for you and your room," he told her as he placed the big bag on her bed and pulled out the first item. "Every girl deserves a purse to carry around and keep her stuff in, so I got you one." He handed it over.

 **The Last Unicorn in Captivity Waterproof Saddle Shoulder Handbag** : _It was edged in brown leather and had a white Unicorn inside a small round white fence that was surrounded by trees and bushes and had a long, adjustable shoulder strap._

"And you of course need something to put in it," he said with a smile and took out the next item.

 **Shopkins Mega Beauty Set** : _With the Shopkins Mega Beauty Set,_ _a_ _little collector wi_ _ll_ _love beautifying herself with the help of all her favorite characters! Includes products for nails and lips._

"You'll need money to buy what you don't have," he remarked and handed over five, crisp, one dollar bills for her to put in her purse. "I got you someone to keep you company at night in case you get lonely." Rick took out his final item and handed it to her.

 **FurReal Friends StarLily, My Magical Unicorn:** _The pet of any girl's dreams is here: the StarLily, My Magical Unicorn toy! StarLily is a beautiful young unicorn who's come from her home in an enchanted forest to become a very best friend. She responds to voice and touch with more than 100 sound and motion combinations! When interacting with her, she moves her head and hoof, makes special sounds, and lights up her horn._

 _Get ready for all kinds of magical adventures with StarLily! Pet, hug, and hold her, and watch as she flutters her beautiful, delicate wings and her horn flashes in different colors to match her mood. Her front leg moves; she sits, stands, and lies down; and she can even move when she hears music. StarLily also has a beautiful mane and tail - and she loves it when they're braided so they look extra fancy._

"Now let's find some push pins so we can put up the posters from your old room." He rummaged around the kitchen and found a box of push pins then went back upstairs to help Sam personalize her room.

Alexis wanted to give her one of her countless stuffed animals so she went to her room, except she found something waiting for her.

" **My Daughter, I Wish You" Musical Glitter Globe:** _All the happiness life can bring, I love you._

Rick was giving Sam a number of things and didn't want his cherished daughter to think she was being replaced and wasn't loved since he loved her more than anything.

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Sam was actually a little scared. She had done as Kate asked her to and eventually found herself outside wearing just a robe that they had bought for her. She'd never had one before and hadn't actually needed one. Still everyone else was outside a little past the play set that she liked.

Kate leaned down to her. "We play family games every month. You know that we're shifters and have actually seen most of us in our other forms. This is just a little different. Everyone but me is going to shift and go play. You can choose to follow them in any manner that you want. You are totally safe with us, we won't ever let anything happen to you." She did her best to allay any fears that Sam might have.

"Okay, pumpkin." Rick gave her the go-ahead to get things started. Sam watched as Alexis dropped her robe exposing her body. In what seemed like a second later, she was a Bear and loped off with Midas and Maggie hot on her heels.

"Don't worry, you don't have to do anything you don't want to," Rick assured Sam. He took off his robe and for a fleeting moment, Sam saw his naked butt before he shifted into the same huge Bear she had seen before. She watched as he went after Alexis.

Kate placed Ava down on the ground, uncovered her, and didn't even have to tell her it was safe to change. Sam watched the baby turn into a Dragon that had the body size of Midas and Maggie, more or less. However, it was her wings that made her look larger.

"Go get them, sweetie," Kate told her. Ava quickly looked at Sam, rumbled low and soft, and took off running while flapping her wings. She actually managed to glide for a few feet before running again.

"I won't ever hurt you, Sam. No one in this house ever will and we'll fight to protect you. I can't shift and go play with you because I might hurt my unborn babies, but you are free to change and go join them. Rick, Alexis and Ava will protect you." Kate tried to assure her that nothing would happen to her.

Sam felt Kate kiss her head and go back inside the house leaving her alone with a choice to make.

"Mom?" Sam's sad little voice cried. She wasn't sure what to do. Kate said her tattoo was complete and yet she didn't feel any different. It had been two weeks and she had been told it looked healed.

This was the only family she had left and she liked all of them. They had done so much for her. She knew she was going to be included in everything they did from now on.

They had been gone for a while and thanks to the darkness she couldn't see any of them. She was alone and was starting to hate it. Her emotions overwhelmed her and she was crying softly. _'Go play_ _,_ _honey.'_ Sam could swear she heard her mother's voice but she knew that wasn't possible. It was just her wish that her mother was here.

Ultimately it was her fear of becoming an Unseelie that had her wishing her mother was there. She needed to be told how to use her tattoo. Still her best friend was out there somewhere along with Mr. Rodgers, and Ava.

Sam dropped her robe and ran naked off in the direction they had gone. She wanted, she wanted, she so very badly wanted...

If there had been anyone nearby they would have seen her change from a naked little girl into a purple dragon, about the size of a bald eagle with six purple and ice blue wings flapping madly which allowed her to take off like a shot. She was weaving around tree after tree till she heard Midas and Maggie barking followed by a loud growl. She was close, she just knew it and then an immense bear came into view. Rick was running in an open field with Ava running hard while flapping _her_ wings.

Sam picked up speed, zoomed past Ava, and weaved in and out of Rick's big legs before zipping back to Ava who was doing her damnedest to get off the ground. Midas and Maggie had given up doing whatever they had been doing and went after the flittering-all-over-the-place whatever it was. Their instinct to protect their family kicked into gear.

Sam decided a little help was called for and streaked in Rick's direction, and circled his head before landing on it. She watched the dogs running right for him till the Bear let out a roar and Midas and Maggie hit the brakes.

Given her size Sam was still a little surprised when what she took to be Alexis stood up on her hind legs was right in front of her. _'Please tell me it isn't eating my head_ _!_ _'_ he yelped.

' _What's wrong babe? I can't risk shifting to come help, maybe Oscar.'_ Kate was at a loss at what to do now.

' _I think it_ _'_ _s Sam_ _. I_ _t looks just like the tattoo on her back.'_ Rick answers back which instantly had Kate breathing again and then was soon dancing. Sam had shifted into her Fae form obviously and was out playing with her family.

' _God, now we're going to have five children to deal with.'_ Kate collapsed onto the sectional as she considered that information. How were they going to deal with five kids? They needed a plan.


	14. Chapter 14

**Evil Eyes 14**

Kate had Alexis in one tub, was getting Sam out of another, wrapping her up in a towel, and couldn't keep from smiling. "You're a Dragon, sweetie! If only you could see the Dragon inside me smiling. And you're really quick. I can't even begin to turn like that." She crushed Sam to her body and held her tight. "Your mother would be so proud of you."

Kate released her just enough to plant a couple of kisses on her cheek. "How do you feel?" She desperately wanted Sam to talk to her, to come out of her shell. All she got, however, was a face-breaking, wide smile, but it was enough for now. But it was time to get serious.

"I know this was your first time but we need to set a few rules. I want you to promise me that you'll only change if your life is in danger or during our monthly family outings like tonight." Kate saw the hurt on her face and it pained her heart. "It's to keep you safe, Sam. If someone outside of our immediate family found out about you, we could all be in trouble. I need you to promise me, it's important," she insisted.

Sam remained silent as she thought it over. She had really loved being out there in her Fae form, looking just like her mother envisioned her looking like. It had been a rush.

"Your mother hid her ability didn't she?" Kate questioned knowing that she, herself, had been unaware that Amber was Fae. "Did your father or brother know she was Fae?" She watched Sam shake her head. "Then we need to hide what you are like we hide from others not like us. It's for our and your safety. I don't want to lose you, sweetie. ...You're so very special to us." Kate stroked the side of her face. "Your mother wanted you safe and I do, too. So do Rick and Alexis. Even Ava and Midas and Maggie. You're part of our family now. Rick and I just need to get the state to make it official. Do you want to stay here? With us?" She watched tears roll down Sam's cheeks as the child nodded. This family was all she had left. Kate hugged her again. "We love you. ...Now let's get you dry and into your pajamas. I have to go check on Alexis. Tomorrow Rick has something planned for you two. You're going to love it." Kate kissed her cheek and finished.

"How are they?" Rick inquired while handing Kate a glass of sparking grape juice. "They're both smiling again." She lifted up to give him a quick kiss. "I was so afraid we had lost her," she admitted.

"Maybe tomorrow will get her more into this family. I just don't want her to feel like we're buying her." Rick was quite well off and since moving here, he had spoiled Alexis with his money. Hopefully Sam would see it in the same light as Alexis did.

"It'll be fine, we just want her happy. So long as you make her see that, make both of them see that, it'll be fine." Kate kissed him again and headed for the living room. She turned on the TV and switched to ZNN and wanted to see if the country had responded or even acknowledged losing an aircraft carrier.

The talk so far was a recap of the number and types of ships lost in the Indian Ocean. It was a number of cargo ships from different companies carrying a wide range of cargo. India had lost one military vessel, Russia had lost four, the States had lost four, China had lost four and no one was talking about losing any submarines as of yet.

The latest news was that three cargo ships off the coast of Brazil were not answering any radio calls and a search was being conducted.

"Nothing on losing an aircraft carrier. Just how long do they think they can hide that? How do you hide losing a ship that big?" Kate demanded, frustrated beyond measure with the whole situation. Rick could only shake his head before taking the remote from her, changing it to a reggae music station, then tossing the remote into a side chair.

"A dead Dragon that isn't dead but looks dead. And how did it spit that much acid when it was all bone?" He looked at his wife since she was the resident Dragon in their house.

"Don't look at me! I've only been a Dragon for a short time." She tried to deflect his questions since it was a Dragon doing all the destruction. She was a Dragon and felt it reflected poorly on her kind.

"Did you ever finish reading that book?" he asked her since it seemed to have a lot of answers. She put down her wine and went upstairs to retrieve it. Once back downstairs, she laid it on her legs and started opening it to the Lich Dragon again to reread it.

"What's a phylactery?" Rick wondered aloud and since Kate didn't know she asked the dragon inside her. Unfortunately, she also didn't know. Kate's answer had him up to retrieve his laptop and use Google.

 _A phylactery is a_ _n object used by a lich to contain its soul and protect it from death, common in fantasy games. A vial of a mage's blood, used to track a mage in the video game series Dragon Age._

That information motivated Rick to search how it was used in fantasy games. "It says it binds its soul after death to an item that's personal to it and hides it away so that even if the body's destroyed the soul lives on and can be transferred into another dead body so that it can go on living." A sudden dreadful thought hit him. "Just how many dead Dragons are there on this planet?" He wasn't sure he really wanted to know the answer.

Kate turned the pages back to the beginning and reread it all. "We had what sounds like a civil war, good versus evil Dragons; so hundreds if not thousands to tens of thousands." She collapsed onto the sectional since she had caught onto what her husband was thinking.

She turned to the final chapters and started reading about all the different wingless Chinese Dragons that had existed and been involved in their civil war. "Were there any Chinese Dragons in your history? Your blood line?" Rick queried as she read and chased it down by flipping pages and rereading.

"Just one, this one." She pointed at a picture of it. It was a mix of blue and green with no wings and a really long, thin, sinuous body that more resembled a snake with a large head filled with teeth. "It says it breathes a green cloud of acid amongst other powers." She ran her fingers over the book and listened to the dragon inside her interpret what she was seeing since it was gibberish to her.

"We need to find this item his soul is in, whatever it is," he stated like it was the most obvious and easiest thing in the world to do which earned him a glare from his wife. Rick caved under her stare. "Fine, got any other ideas?" he challenged.

Problem was she didn't. It did sound simple, but how did they find it? What exactly did it look like? What was it going to take to destroy it? It was probably well hidden, and nearly indestructible like maybe a diamond gemstone. Wherever could it be?

Kate wanted her mind off of the impossible. _'Make_ _love to me_ _?'_ she asked him with a hopeful look since she wanted him badly right now. He didn't need to be asked twice. He closed his laptop on the coffee table, scooped her up into his powerful arms, and gave her a bear-like growl. He carried her up to their bed and hoped Ava would stay asleep long enough for three rounds of lovemaking.

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Ava was napping and Rick had his laptop plugged into the TV. He had something to show Alexis and Sam. "Have a seat girls." He patted the space on either side of him. "I've got something to show you and tell you." He waited until Alexis was on his right and Sam on his left.

"When winter's over we're going to add on to the house and build a barn in which to park the trailer. The garage is going to become our bedroom, while the bedroom we're in now is going to be divided into two bedrooms while trying to put the bathroom between the two rooms, just like yours. Out in the driveway will be the new garage and another two bedrooms. Each location will have another bathroom that they'll share. This will put you three up on the second floor while Kate and I will be down on this floor, out there." Rick pointed to where the garage was now.

"While that's being done we are going to redecorate both of your rooms." He began pulling up pictures of possible bedrooms. "You two are going to choose what your own bedrooms will look like, so I want you to pay close attention to each of the rooms I'm going to show you. Ready?" Both girls nodded.

"Alexis, we're going to start with one of your possible rooms." Rick brought up a picture of a rustic-looking room with a bed made of small diameter logs that had bears carved into the head and foot boards plus there was a comforter and sheets that were covered in bears. Alexis, however, scrunched her face like she was sick and shook her head.

"Strike one; how about this one?" He showed her a different picture. This one was a lot softer with teddy bears on the comforter and pillow cases. Stuffed teddy bears all over with light green walls below the chair rail and a soft beige above the white chair rail. Alexis made the same face and shook her head.

"Strike two; this one?" He brought up the next to last picture he had for her. This one was a light gray below the white chair rail and white with gray dots above it. White floors with bright green bedding and a green swing hanging from a beam. Alexis actually stuck her tongue out at this one and shook her head. Though she did like the swing.

"Strike three. What about this one?" Rick showed the last one he had. This one had white tongue and groove wainscoting (also known as v-board) below a white chair rail that had panels of pink between white sections that looked like white columns. White furniture including a small white make-up desk, dark wood floors with a two shades of pink rug on the floor and a large white four poster bed with mosquito netting tied to each post. The comforter and sheets and pillows were a mix of pink and white with a frilly pink bed skirt. Alexis was smiling wide now. "Can it have a pink swing?" Alexis asked excitedly.

"Like the green one in the other picture?" he inquired, needing to be sure and saw Alexis nod. "I think we can do that." He made a mental note. "You're next, Sam." Rick brought up her first picture.

It had dark wood floors like all the others, with white furniture that had an orange face on one of them and dark green on the other. One wall was dark green with orange panels that served as the head board. Sam was like Alexis; she scrunched her face and looked sick while shaking her head.

"Strike one; how about this one?" He pulled up another picture and hoped for better results. This one had coral carpet and pink walls with an elevated bed that had white drawers beneath it. Off to one side was an elevated location that had a slide. The room sported coral walls under the white chair rail and pink above it. Sam instantly stuck out her tongue and shook her head aggressively.

"Strike two; what about this one?" Rick showed her what was his last picture for her since he really didn't know what she liked. This one had purple on two walls and a medium sage green on the other two walls. The furniture was white with purple on the bottom drawers along with dark wood floors. The drapes on the purple wall were the same color as the other walls. There were dragons of various colors all over the place along with unicorns.

Sam was beaming with her eyes wide in excitement. "Good enough?" He watched her nod enthusiastically. Then she shyly asked, "May I have a swing like Alexis?" He grinned and replied, "Of course, Sam. It's your room." Being with the Castles was showing her that she was going to get things she was likely never going to get before. Sam launched herself at Rick and gave him the biggest hug she could manage. He hugged her back quickly. "Keep in mind this isn't going to happen until after the expansion's complete which will be months from now. In the meantime, you two will keep the rooms you have now. ...Are you ready to see what we've chosen for Ava's room?" he questioned and got excited nods from both girls.

Rick changed the picture and showed them what he and Kate had chosen. It had dark wood floors, light blue walls and ceiling with clouds painted on the walls. There were puffy fabric clouds suspended from the ceiling. Off to one side was a round, white crib with a white toddler's bed close by for after she outgrew her crib. A lot like Sam's room, there were painted dragons peeking out from behind furniture and draperies.

"We may change it a little as she grows up, much like your rooms. We'll change them when you grow up and don't like them anymore. Now for the surprise." He showed them another picture.

"This is going to be the nursery for the new baby," Rick told them. This room was completely different. It had a medium taupe sculpted carpet, soft, light taupe walls with dark wood furniture, white curtains, and a dark wood crib that was about four feet from the wall, resting on a white area rug. That may change when the time came. "Mom's having a baby?!" Alexis was shocked and looked up at her father with awe.

"Yes, sweetheart. She told me on Christmas day," he replied.

"Another baby." Alexis and even Sam tried to get their minds around that announcement. "Boy or a girl?" Alexis asked since she knew what she wanted. Rick chuckled. "We'll all just have to wait and see."

Ava calling out over the baby monitor got his attention. "You two go out back and play and take Midas and Maggie with you."

"Thanks, Dad!" Alexis was looking forward to her new room. "Thanks, Mr. Rodgers." Sam hugged him, too and followed Alexis down the stairs as they called for the dogs. "You can call me Rick, Sam." It was time to get rid of this Mr. Rodgers stuff.

"I'm coming Ava, I'm coming." He went upstairs, changed her diaper, and warmed up a bottle. _'I only have two more bottles left for today_ _,_ _'_ he told Kate.

' _DAMN! I'm sorry. I forgot to pump last night. I'll_ _run home and do it. Otherwise I'll have a mess here to deal with_ _.'_ She silently cursed, though it explained why her breasts felt full, tight, and tender. **  
**

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' _What are you doing_ _,_ _babe?'_ Kate asked him from work later that week. ' _Getting the girls packed for the trip to Lanie's. I also need to go shopping to fill the trailer_ _,_ _'_ he replied.

Unfortunately, she had bad news. _'Well, you can stop packing. Lanie called and she_ _'_ _s flying out today for a case. Javi_ _'_ _s going to drive down to_ _the_ _Ryan_ _s_ _for_ _the weekend_ _while she_ _'_ _s gone.'_

Rick sighed and dropped what he had in his hands into the suitcase. _'I'm sorry_ _,_ _babe, really, but we need a new plan.'_ She prayed that he was quick on his feet.

' _Let me think and I'll get back to you. Are you still taking those two days off?'_ He wanted to know what he had to work with.

' _I shouldn't but_ _I_ _still can, everything_ _'_ _s in place for me to be gone.'_ Kate now had hope that he would think of something to do. _'I'll be home on time tonight.'_

"Okay girls. We're not going to Aunt Lanie's; she has to work." Two faces instantly fell as they both slumped onto Alexis's bed. "No sad faces you two! Have I ever let you down? Leave it to me, I'll think of something. Leave everything packed for now. I want you to find something to do and stay out of trouble." He got his laptop since he had an idea.

Moments later after getting off the phone, the girls heard "ALEXIS, SAM!" Rick yelled for them since he wasn't really sure where they were at that moment, though the dogs were missing, too. A moment later the dogs appeared followed by Alexis and Sam coming up the stairs. "We need to finish packing, we're going camping! Then we need to go into town and get groceries. You little ladies pack for yourselves while I hook up the trailer. Be sure and pack something warm since it will be cold. Oh, and don't forget your toothbrushes, jammies, underwear, and socks. Nor Monkey Bunkey, Alexis, or Petey Penguin, Sam," he told them.

"Where are we going, Dad?" Alexis wanted to know and by the look on Sam's face so did she.

"It's a surprise but it will be in the woods. Don't worry – there's a community nearby for you two to have some playtime. You have ten minutes so get packing, then we're going into town." Rick hadn't tried this part yet, but if he hooked up the trailer first he was going to have to take Kate's Jeep into town. First task was to see if he could get all the kids' seats into it.

' _You're going to need a bigger car_ _when the babies are born_ _. These_ _child safety seats_ _take up a lot of space_ _,_ _'_ Rick told Kate.

Kate was trying to study what was on her computer screen at the time. _'Damn!'_ She hadn't considered that. They rarely used her Jeep. She used her PT Cruiser since she was the sheriff and they used the Expedition when the whole family went somewhere. _'We need to talk first. Will the trailer hold all of us? What happens when the girls are older? How much space does it really have?'_ She was filled with questions.

' _We just got the Expedition and the only trailer larger is a_ _Fifth W_ _heel which requires a truck and a big one_ _at that_ _to pull it, closer to what I did have. Plus the RV barn will need to be_ _larg_ _er_ _,_ _'_ he warned her.

She sighed and leaned back in her chair. How her life had changed in what felt like such a short time. She had been chasing down killers in New York living a single life. Now she was married with three little girls and two babies on the way, all while being a county sheriff in Wyoming. She chuckled since she didn't know what else to do. _'Can it come with its own truck puller, whatever you call it_ _?_ _All part of the rig? We sit up front while the girls are in the_ _Fifth W_ _heel? Can we sell the trailer?'_ Kate bit her lip and rolled her eyes over that last question. Of course they could sell the trailer or maybe even trade it in for the new one.

' _I knew there was a reason why I loved you! I'll do some research. We may need to go to Denver to find it_ _,_ _'_ he cautioned her.

She abruptly changed topics. _'We'll deal with that then. What about_ _the weekend_ _?'_

' _All planned out already, just need to go into town to get groceries_ _,_ _'_ Rick advised her. _'You know I hate surprises and I have a gun_ _,_ _'_ Kate teased since she would never shoot him.

He never did answer her and just smiled while he got ready to go into town. He needed food to feed himself, his pregnant wife, two girls and a baby for two days.


	15. Chapter 15

**Evil Eyes 15**

The mistakes in chapter 14 have been corrected and it has been reposted for any that care to go back one chapter and re-read it. My apologies for the mix up.

Was 2016 a good year for you? I hope so and look forward to good things for 2017. Politics aside (Not a fan). And yes I have an outline for the next story. Not that this one is complete yet.

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To say Kate was surprised would have been an understatement, still it was close but it still took her by surprise.

Ava was directly behind them while Alexis and Sam were in the third row of seats. "You two be good back here," Kate had told them.

Right now they were passing security on the drive into the Kodiak Bear Community. "You're sure about this?" Kate questioned him yet again.

Rick nodded. "Andrea said things were changing in the community. She's making massive changes in how the community is run. There's going to be a large Winter Festival for the entire community. Thank goodness we've had a mild winter this year with less snow. It'll make it easier to maneuver the trailer. We're on the outside so there's a cover charge, but it's not too bad. She said that there would be food, games, and even a few prizes for the kids." He did his best to reassure her.

"And Sam? The last time she saw Bears she was scared to death." Kate pointed out a flaw in his idea yet again.

"That was then and they were just a couple of stupid teenagers who didn't know better. Besides, she's seen Alexis as a Bear as well as me, plus you as your Dragon. Andrea has assured me that everyone knows the rules. There will be lots of adults in attendance to keep an eye on the kids, and yes, there'll be Bear games in addition to human games. If she gets really scared, she can always turn into her Dragon and fly where they can't follow. It'll be fine. We'll be there to protect her and she has Midas and Maggie who would likely die defending her," he argued.

"I'm still amazed at those two. Dobermans have a reputation and it's not a good one when it comes to little kids. Most are vicious guard dogs that are willing to rip people apart." Kate was glad to have them, still to her they did not meet the norm for a Doberman that she had heard about.

"There are no bad dogs, only bad owners. Midas and Maggie could have been as vicious as you describe, but that's not how they were raised, plus they grew up as puppies with Alexis around. They've been great." Rick defended the dogs who were riding in the trailer.

Kate quietly agreed and watched as they drove into the middle of town that had banners hanging all over advertising the Winter Festival.

She helped him back their trailer into a space in a large, open, park area. It didn't have any hookups so they were on their own. That was fine; it was only two days and they had a generator, propane, and the water tanks were presently full. Rick had assured her that the town did have a dump station so they could empty their tank(s) on the way home.

They were the only trailer in the area; everyone else that planned on staying there was using tents since shifters tolerate temperature differences easily and being in the cold didn't bother them. Because of the campers there were Porta Pottys all in one location and it looked like a shower truck had been set up. There were already a lot of people all over the place.

Rick had only just turned off the SUV. Kate got out and looked around leaving him with the kids. "Hi, I'm Kelley Williams and this is my husband Matt. Our son's around here somewhere. Are you the Rodgers?" Hearing that told Kate that they were expected which meant Andrea had gotten the word out.

"I'm Kate; Rick will be here momentarily. Alexis and Sam are in the SUV and our dogs are in the trailer," she told them just as Rick showed up carrying Ava. He was closely followed by Alexis and Sam. "This is our baby girl, Ava." She gestured to the older girls. "And these are our lovely darlings, Alexis and Sam. Rick, this is Kelley and Matt."

Rick repositioned Ava on his arm and shook their hands. "It's an honor to meet you. Andrea has been great, some of us just wish it was you." Kelley spoke her mind.

"Ruling just isn't for me and I'm sure Andrea will do wonders for this community," he replied gruffly as Kate walked over, opened the trailer door and out bounded Midas and Maggie.

Midas and Maggie wasted no time in deciding if Kelley and Matt were to be trusted as they pressed their noses everywhere. "They're protective of Alexis and Sam and are just checking you out." Rick watched the reaction he was expecting from both of them. Finally Midas and Maggie were satisfied and sat down next to each of them. "That's your cue to pet them," he informed them and was mildly amused as he watched a pair of hands tentatively reach out and scratch their ears. "Go get their toy." He looked at Alexis who ran inside the trailer and emerged with a stuffed animal. Instantly Midas and Maggie were all over her till she threw it. "That should keep them busy for a while," he said with a grin.

"How old is she?" Kelley came up to stroke Ava's cheek and play with her hand a little.

"Ava's just over seven months old," Kate replied.

"She looks a lot like you, Kate," Kelley remarked, enjoying being close to a baby. Her husband gave a shout and started jogging to a small group of boys. "Andrea assigned us as part of the large chaperone group that's here. Which reminds me." She walked to a large tent that was close by and came back with a couple papers.

"Here's the schedule. Attend any of the events you choose to or none if you want. The ones for kids only and have prizes are marked. The first Bear activity isn't until tonight. You are, of course, invited to join," Kelley said.

"Alexis might be willing to attend." Rick wasn't sure how secure Alexis was in being a Bear. A Bear as part of the family was one thing, showing that she was a Bear to strangers was quite another.

"I can assure you that there will be no non-shifters at this festival. It will be safe and secure. Security is in place to keep non-shifters away and monitor all of us." Kelley was trying to tell them that intentional injuries would receive severe penalties. Andrea may not be Hunt, but there were still rules.

Kate consulted the paper she was handed. "It says Tag will be starting in thirty minutes you two. Why don't you go join them, find out the rules, and have some fun," she said encouragingly to Alexis and Sam.

"I can show them where to go," Kelley offered and motioned for the girls to follow.

"Not you Midas and Maggie, you two stay here." Kate stopped the dogs from following the girls.

"Babe, what's this Jump the Hoops?" She saw one that was a team game that would take place after sunset. Rick took the list and shrugged. The community had never done anything like this before now thanks to his father.

They got leashes for Midas and Maggie and headed for the heated food tent where both of them found an impressive selection from which to make their own lunch. Rick got out his wallet and was given colored wristbands for everyone. Alexis and Sam would get theirs later. Neither Rick nor Kate took offense. This gathering was meant for those that lived in this community and they didn't.

Almost an hour and a half later, thoroughly tired and panting heavily yet smiling wide, Alexis and Sam came running in. Rick put the colored bands on their wrists while they both recounted the activity. "It was Shadow Tag..." Alexis began and Sam interrupted her.

"We had to tag the person's shadow to make him it," Sam completed the thought and Alexis nodded in agreement. "Then they broke us up into teams..."

This time Alexis finished for her. "We were on the same team, when one of us got tagged..."

Sam broke in. "The other would untag us by putting our foot on their shadow."

Both of their faces were aching from the smiles they had. "We won something." Alexis handed over a tiny piece of paper they had been given before leaving when time for the game was up.

Rick opened it and found that they had a choice. "You can either get one class five prize at the table or turn it in for another try at Jump the Hoops later tonight. The prizes are at..." he looked around. "At that table over there." He gave Alexis back the paper. "You two go look. If you don't see anything you like, come back and we'll use it for Jump the Hoops tonight." They watched Alexis and Sam run off.

"I haven't seen her with a smile that wide since she lost her family," Kate pointed out. "Maybe this outing will be good for her." She was praying it would help give them back the Sam they knew.

Ava had gone to sleep and woke up just after Sam and Alexis had left. "She's probably hungry." Kate stepped into the trailer, settled on the couch and fed her baby. Once Ava was done she needed a new diaper. Kate bundled them both back up and was just going back outside as Alexis and Sam came back empty-handed. "Didn't see anything you liked?" Rick asked them and got a shrug from both of them. Actually there had only been one thing but they couldn't agree if either of them really wanted it. "That leaves whatever this Jump the Hoops game is," he said.

Rick helped them put together something to eat for lunch and watched them eat since running around all morning had made both girls ravenous.

Alexis and Sam were just sitting with Rick, Kate, and Ava when a pair of kids came over. "Do you want to play?" one of them asked.

"It's called Capture the Flag. It's a lot like Shadow Tag except you have to capture a flag and bring it back," the other child explained. They both looked hopeful.

"Go ahead you two, have some fun," Kate urged them. The girls smiled and trotted off with the two kids that had asked for them. "Those two are going to sleep well tonight," she chuckled.

Kate and Rick saw a pair of adults race in their direction with another pair not far behind them. "Join our team? It's a Bear game. We could really use you," one of them panted after sprinting their way.

Rick listened to the description of the game and had said, "Sure," just as the other two arrived. They looked downcast that the other team had gotten to him first. Rick kissed Kate and headed for the trailer so he could change.

"That's cheating," one guys of the second pair complained.

"Only because we got here first and asked nicely," the first guy countered and both groups waited for Rick to come back dressed only in a robe.

"Yes!" One of them pumped his arm. "We are so going to win this!" The other team walked away dejected. "Follow us," he called to Rick and the two jogged off a different direction.

"Try not to break anything, babe." Kate kissed him soundly and she watched him drop his robe and shift into his Bear. She was still amazed by him. She watched him lumber off and join a group of other Bear shifters. She took pride that her husband was the largest of all of them.

Kate was so intensely concentrating on watching Rick that she didn't notice Kelley sit down and jumped a little when she spoke. "Your husband is one hell of a Bear; just don't tell my husband that." Kelley was grinning.

"Actually I was shocked when I found out; I was sure he had lost his mind until he showed me. Except I was already falling in love with him so it didn't scare me off," Kate admitted.

"I'm guessing you're a late bloomer?" Kelley questioned and got a perplexed look from Kate. "Most shifters can detect another shifter even if we don't know what they can shift into. I'm guessing since you're not out there, besides you have your baby, that you're not a Bear." Kelley knew Bear games were hard to resist.

"No, I've only known for something like the last two years, more or less. About as long as we've been married," Kate added, unwilling to tell anyone what she was, not even here.

"That's a little late in life to find out who and what you are, but not unheard of. Most normal people would be horrified and totally frightened of us. If the government found out and actively tried to take over, it might get ugly," Kelley commented and was quiet for a moment.

"Sam isn't yours or a shifter, is she?" Kelley didn't detect her as a shifter. Kate shook her head.

"Her entire family was killed when the gas field exploded a little outside of town. Rick and I are trying to adopt her. Neither of us want to see her disappear into the foster care system. Her life has already been damaged; being lost in that system would destroy her. She's far too sweet to let that happen." Kate was already in love with the little girl.

"I assume she knows." Kelley wasn't questioning since Sam wouldn't be here if she didn't.

"She was a little shocked at first, but she's adapted pretty well. Losing her family hurt her deeply and she's only just starting to show us who she is. Still she has a long ways to go. Her pain is going to last a long time," Kate replied, her heart still aching for Sam.

"First hand knowledge?" Kelley asked gently. Kate turned to look at her.

"My father. ...My mother took his death harder than me, not that I was unaffected by losing him. We're both doing better now. Mom's opened a restaurant that's doing well and she's found someone else to be in her life," she replied quietly.

"And you're the county sheriff." Kelley was letting her know that the word was out. She saw the look on Kate's face. "Just because we choose to stay separate from the non-shifters doesn't mean we don't know what goes on around us. Especially with Andrea in charge now. Life here is so very different now. Some people – the more aggressive members of the clan – want Lord Hunt back, but most of us can see what she's doing for our community. So many people are moving into the new housing that's being built and with all the green power we're more independent." Kelley and her family were one of those families that had moved in.

"Rick and I stayed in one of those while overseeing her selection. It was nice; different, but really nice-looking." Kate had been impressed since she was expecting everyone to be living in run-down travel trailers.

Turning her head back they both watched as the group broke up into teams. Each team went to an opposite end that was farther away from the other than Kate was expecting. They both watched as someone still in human form planted a flags of different colors from each team.

"Another Capture the Flag game?" Kate asked.

"Basically yes, but except instead of touching shadows to freeze someone from the other team, you have to knock someone off of their four feet to freeze them and then wait for a teammate to unfreeze them before they can move again. ...Provided they want to," Kelley shared.

"Is your husband out there?" Kate asked.

Kelley nodded. "He's on the same team as your husband. He's the one that's presently the third one in from us with two between him and your husband. With your husband we are so going to kick their ass." Kelley had high hopes.

A whistle sounded and she watched as her husband loped across the field with a diamond formation with all but three of their group headed for the other side's flag. Kate thought she was catching on to what the plan was just as the diamond broke a little wider as Rick crashed into the first opponent and sent him flying. "OUCH!" She tried to feel her husband through their link and all she got back was him feeling strong.

Their diamond spread out a little to hit others and knock them to the ground to stay away from the ones Rick had knocked aside easily. It looked to be working till she noticed a large portion of the diamond had been broken and were busy unfreezing their teammates just as Kate watched a pair of the _'_ _b_ _ad guys'_ hit Rick on his flanks.

"Rick!?" She watched him stumble but not actually fall over; Kate felt both of those hits to his body on hers.

Kelley had noticed. "You two are bonded." She had seen and heard about what life mates were capable of doing.

"I think you call it life mates, yes," Kate admitted since it was useless to deny it.

"You're a lucky woman. Not all shifters ever meet their life mates. It happens a little less often than you think," Kelley remarked a little enviously. "Right now I'm not sure what I would do if I met mine. I love my husband, but having a life mate is compelling and wished for by every shifter. In some ways I hope I never do now and yet wish I would." She knew how bad that sounded.

They both watched as Rick grasped the planted flag in his teeth and didn't run back the way he had come. _'What are you doing babe? Where are you going?'_ She was expecting him to go back the way he had come in. She could hear him huffing loudly when he answered her.

' _We have a plan_ _,_ _'_ he responded.

Kate and Kelley watched him run to a lone Bear that was far off to one side, where the opposing team had ignored him. The lone Bear started running towards Rick. Rick handed off the flag to him so to speak and they both took off. Kate watched as the other Bear, while far smaller than her husband, was showing that he was faster.

"Go Matt, go!" Kelley was really interested now since she had lost track of him from all the action Rick had been involved in at the center of the field.

"He's fast." Kate was amazed.

Two of the _'_ _b_ _ad_ _g_ _uys'_ had caught on and were giving chase only to have Rick turn on them and crush one of them while seriously slowing down the other. It had, however, caused Rick to lose his balance; he was down and effectively frozen until a teammate reached him. Still Matt had no trouble returning the flag to their three teammates that were still guarding theirs.

Kelley was up on her feet screaming and yelling which had Kate standing and yelling with her. Their side had won!

Kate watched her husband walk his way towards her. She left Ava sleeping in her carrier and wrapped her arms as best she could around the giant Bear that was her husband. _'That was amazing. I knew you were strong, but...'_ Kate hadn't actually seen him in action before that she could remember.

She gathered up his robe and held it up. Rick shifted back and she caught sight of a couple of hand-sized bruises. "Babe?" She was concerned.

"They'll heal, nothing to worry about. Heal faster if I was my Bear, but I'll be fine." He did his best to reassure her. She knew she couldn't heal him unless she was her Dragon and she wasn't going to do that unless his life was in danger; it was just a couple of large bruises.

Matt headed their way and was intercepted by his wife who hugged and kissed him. He looked at Rick. "You were awesome! I'd heard you were powerful, but..." Matt trailed off since he was just too impressed.

The girls came walking back this time and looked really tired, still Alexis handed over another piece of paper. "You two won another prize from a different table _or_ you can turn it in for another try at Jump the Hoops." Rick was impressed with them. "What's Jump the Hoops by the way?" he asked Kelley. He had never heard of it before.

"Jump the Hoops." Kelley smiled wide. "Andrea thought that one up. It happens after the sun's gone down. There are going to be a series of glowing neon hoops of various sizes located in different positions. The idea is for someone to jump through the hoop or hoops. The smaller the hoop, the harder it is to jump through, and the better the prize. Beyond that I haven't heard." She shared what little she knew.

"Sounds like fun. Maybe you two should go into the trailer and rest for later. We're going to crush this activity." Rick was galvanized after winning the last one. But Kate wasn't so enthused. Jumping at night through glowing hoops? She shook her head. Bears had poor eyesight as it was. Maybe that was the reasoning behind the glowing hoops. But at night?


	16. Chapter 16

**Evil Eyes 16**

Kate had Ava in her arms, Sam was wrapped around her leg while Midas and Maggie were sitting right next to Sam. There were Bears all over the place. Kate leaned down a little. "You're fine Sam, nothing is going to happen to you. Midas and Maggie are watching everything and you know about me. Do you really think there is anyone here that I can't handle? There isn't anyone here that is going to even touch you." Kate kissed the top of her head and went back to watching.

Sam was still wrapped around her leg, just not as tightly. She watched Rick and Alexis dressed only in robes surrounded by mostly Bears that had already shifted. Midas and Maggie giving a low growl got her attention as she watched Kelley walk up next to her.

"My husband and son are out there somewhere, it's hard to tell them apart from this distance." Kelley kept looking. "It's likely a little early for this one." Kelley stroked Ava's cheek. She could sense that Kate and Ava were shifters, she just didn't know what and assumed Bears. Sam, however, came off as being human to her. Kelley could even sense that Kate was pregnant.

As they watched, the kids in Bear form started taking turns running and jumping through a number of hoops down on the ground. But Kate didn't see Rick or Alexis shift and was wondering if they intended to play at all.

Next came the older kids who jumped through equally large hoops that had been lifted up a little higher. "You're not playing?" Kelley asked. "Not today. I get to watch these two and I don't know what my husband has planned. Knowing him it's something big."

There was a lull until the hoops were lit back up and they were just as large only a lot higher now, then they watched a pair of smaller hoops light up a lot higher. "Just how do they expect a Bear to jump that high?" Kate was amazed. Bears certainly couldn't fly! She didn't see Kelley shrug her shoulders.

It was only then that she saw her husband and Alexis drop their robes and shift into Bears. "Rick?" Kate didn't understand.

The little Bears just watched as a few of the older kids took a shot at jumping through the larger and lower hoops even if they were still rather high up. Everyone had failed so far.

"Looks like the grand prize is safe," Kelley murmured. "What's the grand prize?" Was that what Rick was going for?

"Three nights at a dude ranch in Encampment, Wyoming. The Water Valley Ranch with a suite of your choosing. It's on the border with Colorado not far from Laramie," Kelley said which suddenly explained why her husband was waiting to make a play for the grand prize.

"When?" Kate asked, hoping it wasn't during winter. "You have a year from today to complete the trip," Kelley replied as Kate smiled and looked down at Sam who only had one arm around her leg now.

"Horseback riding?" Kate ran her hand through Sam's hair and looked down at her. Sam's smile gave Kate her answer. "Then we need to root for Rick and Alexis to win. Get ready to clap your hands and scream," she said enthusiastically though Sam still didn't let go of her.

Kate watched Rick and Alexis moving and she wondered what they were up to especially when Alexis loped away from him. She watched as Rick stood on his back legs which only made him look even bigger and even more imposing. He snorted and waved a paw and Alexis ran right for him building up speed. "Lex?" How was crashing into her father going to accomplish anything?

Alexis jumped at him and using his huge front paws and front legs, he launched her up into the air. They were going for one of the two small hoops way up high. She was so intent on watching Alexis that she lost sight of Rick.

Alexis hit the loop but didn't go through it and Kate found her heart pounding as Alexis was headed for the ground from really high up. It was only then that she quickly surmised that Rick must have run in Bear form and was still moving as he watched and then caught Alexis.

"So close." Kelley was amazed. "He scared the hell out of me." Kate was sure Alexis was going to hit the ground and come away with broken bones.

Then they watched Rick walk over to his robe and put something in his mouth and give it to someone. "The earlier winnings for another try," Kate whispered softly as now she understood why they had hung onto them. Kelley had heard her and was smiling widely and found herself rooting silently for them.

Then Rick shifted back into human form, fully naked, talked to Alexis, and then quickly shifted back into a bear. Then Alexis loped away and it wasn't hard to see those two had everyone's attention.

Rick was in position. He grunted and waved as Alexis was running hard right at him. Once again she jumped at her father who vaulted her up high, only to turn and run for where Alexis should be landing to catch her.

Kate lifted her eyes and suddenly Alexis shifted into human form and sailed through the small hoop only to shift back into a Bear once she was through and falling. Kate, Kelley, and Sam were all shocked and stood there with mouths agape.

The second Alexis the Bear landed on her father, the place erupted in applause, yelling, and shrill whistles. It took Kate a moment before she added her screams, then put her fingers in her mouth and let out a loud whistle. It was then that she could hear Sam clapping and felt her bouncing.

Then they watched Rick pick up another piece of paper from his robe and hand it over using his mouth. "You won Rick, what are you doing?" Kate didn't believe him. Then it hit her. "Is there a tie breaker if one or more manage to do this?" Kate questioned Kelley. "I don't actually know. It's possible that if they do this twice they win the same prize all over again." Kelley didn't actually know.

"Six nights at a dude ranch?" Kate whispered softly and felt Sam tugging on her pants. Looking down she saw Sam smiling widely. "We need that new trailer and truck if they do this again." She was thinking that they couldn't possibly have a suite big enough for all of them. The girls may have to stay in the trailer with the dogs.

Deathly quiet rolled over the crowd as they all watched Rick and Alexis line up to do it again. Kate felt Ava squirm and shifted her so she could watch also. Alexis started running. "Go Lex, go." Kate was hopping up and down and so wanted for her to do this.

Just like last time Alexis was launched up in the air. However, this time she hit the hoop. She went through it but hitting it had badly screwed up where she was going to land. "RICK!" He needed to move or Alexis was going to hit the ground hard!

His Bear's eyesight at night was bad and Alexis was already headed for the ground by the time he saw her which had him running furiously. Kate could feel him through their bond that he was running all out and was a little worried. "Come on Rick." Suddenly he was on his back and sliding. Kate knew that move as he and Alexis had been practicing it during their family outings.

Alexis landed on his big soft stomach and did her best to hold on as the two of them slid till Rick skidded to a stop. Applause, cheering, and whistles erupted while Kate was fisting air while she yelled and Sam jumped up and down screaming.

"Did they actually win?" Kate questioned.

"Well, technically the challenge is only for Bears and while Alexis did shift, she started and ended as a Bear. ...I just don't know; it's up to Andrea, I guess." Kelley didn't know; Rick had obviously stretched the rules.

Rick and Alexis were soon surrounded by everyone as soon as they shifted back into human form and gotten into their robes. Holding Ava, Kate and Sam moved their way with the dogs and Kelley right behind them.

"BABE!" Kate finally reached him and hugged and kissed him with one arm since she had Ava in the other. Even Ava was squirmy and reaching out for him so Kate handed her over to Rick.

Kate waited her turn to hug Alexis as Sam was presently hugging her. "You won!" Sam told her and Alexis was grinning. Kate finally got her arms around Alexis and kissed her. "That was amazing, sweetie. You really are a brave Bear." Kate was so proud of her. Alexis's face quickly matched her hair color. Kate kissed her again and turned her attention to her husband.

"That was amazing, babe." She lifted up to kiss him again. He was still being pounded on by any number of hands in congratulation. Even Alexis was getting a lot of attention. Only the sound of the dinner bell had everyone breaking up and heading for the tables to get in line for the buffet that was the Winter Festival dinner.

Kate was back after taking Ava to the trailer to change her diaper and got in line. "How did you think of that?" She was still impressed and felt her love for her husband only grow.

"The hoops were kind of small for a Bear. It was the height that was the only concern. That and not getting much practice," Rick had to admit. Their family outings had obviously helped both of them.

Sam kept bumping Alexis who was sitting next to her all dinner long which had Alexis smiling while giggling.

It was finally late in the day and Kate got Rick and Alexis into the bathroom to get cleaned up and left it to him to put Sam and Alexis to bed while Kate nursed Ava. It was cold outside now. It was late February – early March in Wyoming. An unexpected thaw had happened putting an end to plans of snowmen and backcountry skiing, but it was still quite chilly when Rick joined her outside around a small portable fire pit that they'd brought in the back of the Expedition.

"I'm so proud of you two." Kate leaned out of her chair to kiss him again.

"Yeah, we won didn't we." Even he was impressed by what they'd done. "Wasn't sure it would work," he remarked.

They were both sitting there wrapped up to keep warm when Andrea and Kelley with Matt walked towards them. "That was amazing." Andrea handed over the paperwork for their win. "I'll admit I hadn't considered someone doing it twice, however, it was still just the one win. Just pick your three nights within a year and enjoy your trip. Oh, and let me know if you want a copy of the video," she told them.

"You took videos?" Kate was shocked.

"I've got videos of every event. Plan on using them for next year. We might even show yours on an outdoor screen next year as incentive. Hopefully you'll come back to defend your title," Andrea replied with a grin. Kate got out of her chair to hug Andrea and Kelley and then took the paperwork from Rick so she could read it. "A suite may only have the one bedroom," she cautioned.

"I'll look it up when we get home. We can take the trailer for Alexis and Sam if we have to. Do you want to go?" Rick knew he had come up with the plan not knowing if Kate was willing.

"You should have seen Sam when she found out what the prize was. I think she would have come out of her skin for the chance at going. ...I'm still impressed." She lightly stroked his shoulder. "Alexis was amazing."

"She's come around thanks to you. She now sees herself as a brave Bear and not a monster." Rick gave Kate the credit.

"I hate Meredith!" she growled and could feel her Dragon roar out her own hatred.

"We need to stay away from California then," he said agreeably.

"No Disneyland?" Kate pouted.

"Walt Disney World," he offered instead.

"Another place we need to go. The girls would love it. Take their pictures with all those characters," she acknowledged.

"You'll need to take the time off to accomplish that and the dude ranch trip," he reminded her.

"Yeah, I know. Plus there's my maternity leave, too." Kate sank back into her chair. She had a family and she wanted to do things for them and yet she had responsibilities. "Maybe a few days?" she suggested. She still had no idea how to accomplish it all.

She was still deep in thought as Rick brought her out of her head when he kissed her and helped her out of her chair. The fire was mostly out and it had gotten colder. Once inside she checked on Ava before joining Rick in bed. "You spaced out on me there for a while. Did you reach any conclusions?" he asked quietly.

"I need to replace Amber which still hurts. Sloan has the most seniority except I trust LT more than him, maybe because I know more about him from working with him in New York," she replied while she burrowed into Rick's arms knowing what his hugs could do for her.

"You're the boss, so make him your number two. Do you need to explain your actions to everyone in the office?" Rick questioned.

"I'm not going to become another Christian Dahl, so yeah, I need to include everyone." Kate wanted the office to still be a good place to work.

"Give everyone a performance review and hand out raises if you can afford them. Then announce that LT is your second in command," Rick offered which lead her to think about it all over again.

"We need to get to Denver one of these days also. It's where we are going to find the right Fifth Wheel and the truck to pull it," he reminded her.

She sighed. "Days at the dude ranch that Sam so very much wants to go to. Disney, my maternity leave, and Denver to get a big enough trailer. Is that condo in Hawaii out? It'll take us hours just to get there and I still have a problem getting the time off," she said tiredly.

Rick hopped out of the bed to retrieve his laptop. "I've found just the place for us, so you decide." He sat down with his back up against the headboard as did Kate so she could see.

 **One Ala Moana PH2205/2207,** **Ala Moana, HI 96814** **:** _5 bedroom, 5-1/2 bathrooms, 4010 square feet, hardwood floors, granite countertops, marble in the bathrooms, loaded with amenities. BBQ, exercise room, sauna, pool._

"My god, Rick! $6 million dollars? Are you serious?" She looked at him, astonished that he would even think about buying such an expensive piece of property.

"It's Hawaii. Hawaii isn't cheap and we're having twins. It has the space that any Fifth Wheel won't," he replied defensively.

"If we move there I can see it. But we're talking about only a few weeks at most," she countered and watched as he ran her through the pictures. The place was gorgeous she had to admit. Floor to ceiling walls of window high up in a high-rise. No patio so they didn't need to worry about anyone going over the side and falling to their death. And it was Hawaii so she was interested. But she just couldn't get her mind around the price tag.

She shook her head. "The trailer, Rick; at least that we can use more often. Get some use out of it and it'll cost a lot less." She shot down the condo, as nice as it was. "We can stay in a hotel if we ever visit there."

Rick pulled up his number one choice for a Fifth Wheel. It was made by Horizon and was a Majestic layout that was 43' - 6" long. It offered a number of options. "We can remove the back bed and replace it with dual bunk beds each in a pull out. The sofa in the main room is a sleeper sofa. It has 1-1/2 bathrooms even if there is only the one shower. Women need bathrooms," he pointed out which earned him a glare and then finally a poke in the ribs. However, Kate knew he was right.

"We can add a second slide out in our bedroom which will add closet space. The washer dryer are in the main bathroom. The main table only seats two however the sofa can have a table with cup holders put in place which will give us four spaces. Hopefully we'll be eating outside most of the time," he explained. Kate was learning to like it.

"It has an option for a residential refrigerator freezer that works off of electricity or propane. The main TV is in the corner in the kitchen across from the sofa and table. Range top, combination microwave, convention oven, I think. Need to ask about that. Large sink in the island. Lots of storage space." Rick reeled off details and showed her the pictures. "Another TV with an electric fireplace in the girls room. Not sure about closet space, but maybe they can use part of ours," he suggested.

"How much and what are we pulling it with?" Kate knew the Expedition couldn't pull a Fifth Wheel.

"$184 thousand," he replied then showed her what he planned on using to haul it with. A Freightliner Business Class M2: it had four doors and an extension on the back.

"That thing is bigger than a tractor truck!" She was shocked.

"It has four captains chairs and in the back is a bench seat. Ava and the twins can go on the bench seat in the back with Sam and Alexis in the captains chairs. It has a Caterpillar 330 hp motor, uses diesel with large tanks for long distance. An Allison automatic transmission. Storage doors, drop down TVs to show movies to keep the girls entertained. Air conditioning and it's big enough to haul the Fifth Wheel." He staunchly defended his selection.

It was just so huge! But he was right; since they were going to have twins, they needed the space. They couldn't allow the girls to ride in the trailer for their safety. The dogs, yes, but not the girls. Wyoming law didn't allow it and most likely other states as well.

She squeezed her eyes closed. "How much?" Maybe she could be shocked into sleep. It was $123 thousand new, used was around $83 thousand but didn't have all the options, like hot and cold cup holders, back-up camera, built-in navigation.

"$184 thousand and $123 thousand." Kate hung her head. They were talking about money she had never even dreamed of spending. She knew that as long as Rick's books continued to sell, they could afford it.

"$307 thousand or $6 million." She sighed again. "Where do we get either of them?" she inquired. Just what did they have to do to buy these monstrosities.

"Denver. It needs to be shipped from Junction City, Kansas." Rick tried to shrink away since getting there, buying it all, and getting back was the real sticking point.

Kate huffed out a long breath. "Ship it to Denver at a cost or get to Junction City at still another cost. Is there an alternative?" She wanted options, but he shook his head.

"We need to trade our trailer for the new one at the dealer who's willing to do this." Rick changed subjects. "Oh, and the architect will be done with the drawings for the addition around Easter. We will need to use some wall mounted ductless split systems for the addition. The A/C unit we have isn't big enough and this will be cheaper and easier."

"And the barn with the apartment above it?" she queried. The addition was only part of the expansion. "If we get the truck and the Fifth Wheel, I need to tell him the length so he can make adjustments. Why are you fixated on the apartment idea?" He was curious.

"Five children with two of them needing to be nursed are going to overwhelm both of us. I was thinking of hiring a nanny," she explained.

Now it was his turn to be shocked. "We have Bears and Dragons all over..." he began to protest as Kate interrupted him.

"I'm aware of the limitations, but I have an idea about that. We just need to get home tomorrow and I'll contact her to see if she's willing."

"Please tell me you're not thinking of Serena or Joanne. Not that I don't like them, it's just that..." Rick stopped when he saw her shaking her head.

"I have an idea on who, and you've seen her. Naked even." She started smiling now that she had his attention.

He was trying to think of another woman he'd seen naked in years. His blank face told Kate he didn't have a clue. "She gave us a warning when we were about to be attacked." She watched as the light bulb over his head came on.

"That Hawk lady! She seemed nice and respectful. Think she'll go for it?" He was willing to talk to her at least. "We won't know that until we ask her," she replied.


	17. Chapter 17

**Evil Eyes 17**

 **March 3, 2003**

Rick was resting on the sectional in front of the fire burning in the fireplace with Ava in his lap. It was hard to believe that she was seven months old already and sitting up by herself. "DAD, Dad!" Alexis came running into the room with Sam right behind her. "It's snowing Dad, it's snowing!" The girls pointed at the windows, bouncing up and down in excitement.

He turned his head and looked and found that it was indeed snowing, though it was light. "Can we play in the snow?" Sam wanted outside in it.

"Sure. Coats, gloves, and boots and show me you are dressed for it first before going outside. You don't want a cold." He watched them run to the closet off the living room. "Oh, to have their energy." He leaned back only to have Ava demand his attention.

"I suppose you want out in the snow, too." Rick saw a happy Ava give him her best smile, showing off her two bottom teeth. "That's what I thought. ...Alright." He went upstairs, only to turn around and go downstairs instead where he stripped in the bathroom and put on his robe.

"Change of plans, girls. Into the bathroom, strip, and put on your robes." He watched as wide smiles blossomed on their faces and they ran for the bathroom.

Rick was outside already when both girls came outside to join him. "We have to stay very far away from the highway over there at all times," he said as he pointed. "You two understand?" Both girls nodded. "Okay, drop your robes and shift. Let's have some fun!" he told them even if it was barely snowing.

Soon there were two bears and two dragons having fun outside in broad daylight.

oXo

Rick had Alexis in one tub and Sam in another and was stepping out of the shower himself, since they were all a little dirty. Ava for her part, was a human baby and sleeping all nice and clean in her crib. "That should tire all of them out." He smiled to himself as he checked his messages and voice mail. "Excellent timing." He liked it, it saved him from having to cook something.

He got Sam out of the tub and dried her off and set out something for her to wear. "Start getting dressed while I get Alexis. We're going somewhere for dinner tonight," he informed her. "PIZZA?" Sam told him her wish. He smiled; she was acting more like herself now, though losing her family would hit her at any time and she would shut down.

"Not this time, but you'll like it," Rick tried to assure her.

It took some time but he had everyone including the dogs in the Expedition and drove across the highway to eat at Johanna and Oscar's place. _'We're eating at your mother's house tonight so you can meet us there_ _,_ _'_ he told Kate.

' _G_ _ive me about another hour_ _and_ _I'll be there_ _,_ _'_ she responded.

The dogs wasted no time getting to the front door, barking which alerted Oscar to their presence. He opened the front door just as Alexis and Sam reached it. "HI! Come in you two." He opened the door wide to let them in then waited for Rick and Ava. He could already hear the four dogs tearing around the place though he had to get everyone upstairs since the first floor still looked like a war zone.

Between him and Rick they had everyone upstairs and out of the construction area. "Hey, Johanna." Rick found her sitting on the sofa. He proceeded to plop down next to her and let her to take Ava from him.

"I'm going to have to get used to caring for a baby again," Johanna said. She was about eight months into her pregnancy.

"And how is your little one?" Rick was curious since they hadn't been over for a while.

"I'm on maternity leave and was _ordered_ not to go into the restaurant!" Johanna glared at Oscar who had put his foot down. She had to admit it was probably best for her health and that of her baby. It just rankled to have to sit at home and do nothing. "How's Kate and hers?" They had known that Kate was pregnant as well since the morning after Sam's family had died.

"Jo's stubborn is all," Oscar piped up. "I go into the restaurant each night to help, but she keeps asking me questions." He would be glad when she finally had the baby. Johanna wasn't the easiest person to live with in her condition.

"It's my restaurant; my money that's at risk. I'm the head chef and they are _my_ recipes," Johanna snapped in her defense.

"What did the doctor say?" Rick asked her which got her to shut up.

"He told her that she needed to lower her stress level, that he would order bed rest and admit her into the hospital if she didn't. We have an appointment in Rapid City tomorrow. ...Which reminds me." Oscar went to their bedroom, came back with a device, and handed it to Johanna who had to give up Ava.

Jo sighed and wrapped the blood pressure monitor around her wrist; she lifted her hand above her heart and pressed the button. It hummed and purred and inflated around her wrist and then let go. She handed the hated device to Oscar. "141 over 92. I'll go get the pizza," Oscar told everyone just as the dogs with Alexis and Sam right behind them ran into the room. "Pizza?" It was the only word Sam had heard.

"At least someone is happy," Rick teased Johanna who simply crossed her arms over her extended belly and pouted.

"Veggie for you," Oscar said, looking at Johanna. "Cheese for you, Sam, and Hawaiian for you and Kate, Alexis. I'm guessing she'll be here soon, and all meat for Rick and I. Be back in a flash." Oscar headed for his car to drive into town.

"He means well but I'll be glad when I'm not pregnant anymore. I've been taking it out on him and he doesn't deserve it." Johanna sank into the sofa.

Rick tried again. "What did the doctor say?"

"Stay off my feet, eat right, take my vitamins, and don't increase my stress. Call if I have any problems and be ready to be admitted into the hospital. He's talking about a C-section to reduce my stress and stress on the baby. He's worried that at my age an extended labor would be bad," she admitted. "What about Katie, she's been mum."

"Kate will come and get you then drive you to Rapid City with lights and siren if you ask her. She's worried, too," Rick shared.

"How is she really?" Johanna wanted insight into what her daughter was thinking.

"She's worried, Johanna. Worried for you, for the baby, and not sure if she's ready to be a big sister." Rick knew she had grown up thinking she was going to be an only child. "He or she is likely to be a horse shifter, you know," he warned.

"Oscar's talked about that. Something about shifter genes being dominant. I'm hoping he or she will look like their father," Johanna said.

"You don't know the sex yet?" Rick didn't see how that was possible.

She shook her head. "We decided we wanted to be surprised. I think we're both hoping for a boy. We were hoping to have construction done by the due date, but that isn't going to happen." She sighed. "It's probably still too early to find out the sex anyway" she added.

They were living on the second floor which was going to be gutted and remodeled after the downstairs was done. All they would have then was a small one bedroom apartment that was intended to be rented out to the person that helped Oscar with his rescue horses.

"I haven't looked lately. How's the horse barn coming?" Rick was curious. And wanted off the topic since Kate had told him not to tell her mom much yet. She wanted to be the one to answer her questions.

"About the same as the first floor and with winter coming it's going to slow down even more. I hear you two are thinking of an expansion." Johanna had heard it from Kate. She glared at him since she knew what he was doing, still...

"More bedrooms, and a bathroom plus an RV barn with its own apartment above. The plans should be here soon and construction will follow in a few weeks. With luck it should be done before Christmas this year." Rick wasn't hopeful but you never knew.

"RV barn? Kate didn't say anything about that." Johanna suddenly had something to poke Kate with.

"We were looking at either a condo in Hawaii or trading in the trailer for a Fifth Wheel and a truck to pull it with. Hence the RV barn. We need someplace to store it out of the weather. Right now the trailer is taking the brunt of the upcoming winter again." He had reservations about how well it would hold up year after year.

"Help me up, bathroom break." Jo held out her hands as Rick stood to help pull her to a standing position then watched her walk away.

"She's big," Sam mentioned after she was gone.

"She's going to have a baby soon. Kate's going to have a little brother or sister. You and Alexis may get to babysit her. Think you're up to the task?" Rick knew she wouldn't actually be babysitting for years yet, but it was fun to see the looks she made. Sam thought it over and started shaking her head which made him chuckle.

Kate rolled in just as Oscar was unloading the pizzas from the Jeep Cherokee. "Pizza?" she questioned.

"The doctor is ready to place your mother on mandatory bed rest and will admit her if she doesn't reduce her stress levels, so no cooking," he answered.

"I'm sure that went over big knowing my mom," she remarked as she took two pizzas off his hands, carried them inside, and up the stairs.

Kate's baby bump had become noticeable, especially to her and Rick. Since she was carrying twins her belly was bigger than it had been with Ava.

"Hi, Mom." She put the pizzas down on the table and went to give her a hug. "Why are you up?" She was on her case instantly.

"Not you, too," Johanna moaned. "Keep it up and you'll be getting coal for Christmas this year. Even though it's only March 3rd, I've got a direct line to the big guy!" Johanna made a hollow threat and Kate smiled knowing she wouldn't.

Oscar and Kate got drinks for everyone, set out plates and got the girls eating first, making sure they were happy. Everyone else grabbed a paper plate and a drink and sat where they wanted.

"How's work?" Johanna asked, looking at her daughter.

"Thankfully slow at the moment. I think we've had enough excitement already." Even in New York, Kate would have been happy if she didn't have to hunt down killers. "Our biggest case lately was Greta finding those two women that didn't return to the Newcastle camp. They were allowed to leave but had to come back and chose not to. They decided to kill a local farmer's chickens for food and camp out till they could steal his car and move on. Greta did well; she impressed me with her not so little task." Kate was quite pleased.

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 **Two Days Later**

Kate had made it into the office after Rick had helped her put on her snow chains since it had decided to snow heavily last night. She was sure the girls would be outside in it, building snowmen, throwing snow balls, making angels amongst other things.

She was taken out of her thoughts when her cell phone rang. "Beckett."

"She's having contractions, not consistently but they've started. I've already given your mother a piece of my mind for not telling me. They started hours ago," Oscar said heatedly in a rush.

"NOW?!" Of course her mother would have the worst timing. Heavy snow and she was early. "I'm on my way; give me about twenty minutes." Kate hung up and left her office.

"Call in LT and tell him he's in charge. My mother's in labor and I'm taking her to Rapid City. Greta, keys. I'm taking your 4x4. Here are mine." Kate tossed Greta her keys and caught Greta's keys. "Only call me if there is an emergency. My mother has lousy timing," Kate moaned.

"Isn't she due late March or something?" Rebecca questioned.

"Yeah." That was why Kate was going to use the lights and maybe the siren the entire way.

"Drive safe; it's supposed to keep snowing," Rebecca warned her.

"Snow chains are on it, yes?" Kate looked at Greta who nodded. And with that she was out the door. She did stop to fill the tank just in case.

Eventually Kate went flying up the stairs. _"MOM!"_ she almost yelled in Johanna's ear the second she cleared the door. Oscar had her up, dressed, and had two go bags, one in each hand.

"Let's go! It's snowing pretty hard," she warned them and took one of the bags so Oscar could help Johanna down the stairs and into the Durango. Kate twisted around to talk to Oscar who was sitting in the back seat with Johanna. "Call Rick and have him come over and get Patch and Thor. Remind him to pick up their dog food and everything else. Oh, and Oscar, if you haven't called Mom's doctor yet, please do so."

Kate was just getting onto the highway. "How you doing, Mom?" It was really happening.

"I'm..." Johanna grunted a little when a contraction hit. "I'd forgotten how much this hurts." Oscar took her hand and massaged it wishing there was something he could do.

They both listened to Oscar speaking to Johanna's doctor. "He's calling the hospital and will have an obstetric team on standby ready to do a C-section as soon as we get there," he told them. Then he called Rick. "Rick's going to gather up the girls and go to our place. He said he would call later," he explained. Kate started wondering why Rick wasn't talking to her, but maybe it was a good idea he wasn't. The snow was coming down heavily; she was in 4-wheel drive and going as fast as she dared.

"Call my office and get an update on the weather in Rapid City," Kate told Oscar who did as requested.

oXo

Kate was trying to keep her eyes on the road, however, her mothers groans were increasing in frequency and volume. "How's she doing?" Kate took a quick peek in her rearview mirror.

"Thirteen minutes apart," Oscar replied.

"I'm fine," Johanna insisted but she'd started breathing hard. "I _have_ done this before."

"How far out are we?" Oscar was worried the baby was going to be delivered in the back seat of the car. He knew because of her condition the local hospital just wasn't ready for a woman her age to be giving birth. Younger people who didn't need her amount of care, yes; Johanna, not so much.

"About twenty minutes at this speed." Kate was tempted to speed up an extra five miles per hour, but she couldn't risk spinning out and trapping them on the side of the road.

' _We're going to be close_ _,_ _babe, too damn close. Call my office and see if the hospital can do something to meet us._ _If_ _Mom has a_ _vaginal_ _birth we might lose both of them.'_ Truth be told Kate was terrified. Losing her father was bad enough, losing her mom would be too much.

She was starting to think Rick was asleep and hadn't heard her. _'They say to keep your eyes open for a snow plow headed your way._ _F_ _ollow it all the way_ _into the city_ _. The hospital and her doctor are waiting for you. ...Love you!'_ he suddenly answered. Kate let out a breath that she didn't know she was holding and tried to keep her eyes open for a big yellow truck with flashing yellow lights all over it.

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Oscar was with Johanna and Kate was stuck out in the waiting room. She had never been so happy to see flashing yellow lights in her life. He had allowed her to pick up speed and stay close behind the snow plow as he cleared the road all the way into town. She had even gotten honked at when he pulled off to go about his job inside the city. Kate had whooped him with her siren in return. She watched as her mother with Oscar at her side was wheeled off in a wheelchair where she couldn't follow. Now she was forced to wait. She settled in just as her phone rang.

"Beckett," she answered since the caller ID said the office. Officially she was a Rodgers but at work she was still a Beckett.

Rebecca wanted an update. "How's it going? You should be there by now."

"Thanks for that phone call. We really needed that snow plow; the roads are a mess. They wheeled her into the operating room a while ago I think, since she's supposed to have a C-section. I haven't heard anything since then," Kate replied.

"At least you made it. Phone calls into Rapid City said it was snowing heavily, much like here," Rebecca said.

"Yeah, it was piling up and slowing us down. Makes me even more happy that we have new cars and got some 4x4s out of it. I'll call when I learn anything," Kate told her.

"Our prayers are with you. LT is still in the office and will be changing shifts with Sloan later, so there's no hurry. Everything is quiet here," Rebecca assured her and hung up.

' _Now we just need one more miracle_ _,_ _'_ Kate thought to herself.

' _Where are you? Everything alright? I_ _'ve been_ _keeping quiet so you could concentrate_ _but I just couldn't bear the silence any longer_ _.'_ Rick's voice suddenly sounded in her head. She had forgotten to tell him anything. He must be worried sick.

' _We made it fine. Mom_ _'_ _s in the operating room or delivery room with Oscar somewhere close. I'm out in the waiting room_ _trying not to worry_ _. The snow was deep till that snow plow showed up. He may have saved all of us.'_ Kate knew she owed her husband, too and with her hormones kicking in she was going to thank him later, big time.

' _How's the morning sickness?'_

She had been relatively free of it this time around. Still it reared its ugly head when she least expected it. _'Fine so far, though I_ _'_ _m starving_ _. I've been_ _thinking about sneaking out to find something but don't want to miss something with_ _M_ _om.'_ She was so conflicted. Carrying twins had increased her need for food plus her own greater need for food since she was a shifter. However, she wanted to be here for her mother.

' _You need to eat for_ _our_ _twins_ _;_ _now go find something. Leave a note with a nurse_ _in case_ _Oscar comes out while you_ _'_ _re gone. Your mother would understand. You can't help her any other way. Relieve her of any stress about you. Have told her_ _about the twins_ _yet?'_ Rick had wanted to tell her, but Johanna was supposed to keep her stress down so had agreed to wait to tell her.

' _Fine, I'll go look for something, but the snow_ _'_ _s deep here. I'll empty a vending machine if I have to._ _And no, I haven't said anything to either of them about the babies, yet._ _'_ Kate was worried that with snow this deep, finding a place open would be difficult.

Rick left her alone after that and she actually did leave after finding a nurse and leaving a note for Oscar. The first place she found was a mom and pop pizza place where they lived in the apartment upstairs so they were open. She was their only customer.

Pepperoni, sausage, extra cheese and mushrooms, and even those fish thingies that no one ordered. She was sitting with her Diet Coke and finished the entire thing in no time. "Thanks, it was delicious," she told them before heading back out into the cold and snow.

"Stay safe ma'am." The proprietor gave her his prayers on her way out.


	18. Chapter 18

**Evil Eyes 18**

Kate was only back in the waiting room something like 10 minutes when Oscar showed up smiling wide. "It's a boy! Gestationally, he's almost a month early and is in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. They are helping him to breathe at the moment."

"And Mom?" Kate was glad the baby seemed okay but what about her mother? Oscar told her what he knew. "Jo's already asleep after her surgery was finished. She's already been taken to her room. They are admitting her for at least seventy-two hours and want to run some tests on her and the baby." **  
**

"Tests?" Why would her mother need tests?

"Something about wanting to find out if Jo has had an unnoticed problem and since the baby is pre-term they want to run some tests and monitor him to make sure everything is working like it should. Down syndrome, heart problems, organ trouble for both of them, other things that were over my head. Give them about an hour and we can go see her and him." Oscar paled as the reality of potential problems for his love and his son hit him hard. He sat down and waited for Kate to sit next to him.

"Seventy-two hours, huh?" That meant they had a problem since sleeping in the waiting room on these damn back breaking chairs was out. Kate called out to her husband. _'Babe, we need a hotel room. Anything that_ _'_ _s open and has space. One for me and one for Oscar.'_

' _Only if you answer my..._ _'_

She interrupted him. _"It's a boy_ _;_ _he_ _'_ _s in_ _the N_ _ICU, something about helping him breath_ _e_ _. Can't see_ _M_ _om for another hour. ...Hotel room, please_ _,_ _'_ she asked him again. He was silent in return. She hoped that meant good things for both of them.

' _You each now have a one bedroom suite at the Rushmore Hotel and Suites;_ _I got you one for two nights in case you need it. They have a restaurant in the lobby. The reservation is in your name. Please tell me you have clothes and other things_ _,_ _'_ he asked her thenadded, _'_ _It's_ _1.8 miles from the hospital.'_ Kate searched for a pen and paper and had to have him tell her again.

"Rick has hotel rooms for us tonight and the next night," she said to Oscar as she wrote down the information.

"Oh, to be bonded with your life mate. I hope you know how exceptionally rare that is. We all wish we did, but most of us are happy as we are." Oscar understood how Kate could be talking with Rick not using a phone.

"I can even feel him sometimes, especially when he's really feeling love for me. I'm still trying to get used to being bonded to someone for the rest of my life. To forever hear him and feel him. You and Mom went through that process Serena mentioned, you should know something," Kate said.

Oscar shook his head. "We can talk but we don't feel each other, not like you and Rick do." Then he tilted his head and looked toward the entrance to the maternity unit. "Jo's awake. ...Correction – _was_ awake. Now she's asleep. I think they gave her something, her speech was badly slurred. I barely understood a word she said." He shook his head. "Do you have clothes? Jo and I had our go bags handy." Oscar knew they both had at least one change of clothes. **  
**

Kate nodded. "I pulled my go bag out of my PT Cruiser so I have a little something. Anything longer than a day and we'll need to find a place or way to get them clean. Maybe the hotel has something." Her bag was meant for emergencies, like shredding her clothes turning into a Dragon, or if she got overly dirty. At least they all had winter coats with them.

Eventually they got to see Johanna who was sleeping. "She should be out of it for at least another eight hours while we run tests and get the results. Your son is this way." A nurse escorted them to the NICU.

They didn't actually get all that close to him. He was in a room they weren't allowed into but they could see him in his Plexiglass box. "He's so tiny." Kate couldn't believe it. Ava had never been that small. "Have you gotten to at least hold him yet?" She just kept staring at the baby.

Oscar shook his head. "I only saw him for a second before they took him away. This is the longest I've seen him." He squinted in an attempt to read the tiny tag. "It looks like the tag says 5 pounds 2 ounces and 18 and 1/4 inches long."

To Kate that was small, maybe too small. It was a good thing they came to Rapid City. The hospital in Newcastle just wasn't really ready for a premature infant. Then Kate made a decision since she was there. _'Babe can you call my OB/GYN and make an appointment for me while I'm here_ _?_ _Might as well check in.'_ It was a good time to check on her babies.

It was an hour later and they were both leaving the hospital on the way to their hotel. Rick suddenly told her, _'You have an appointment tomorrow at 3:15. She hopes to be there but will call if the snow prevents her from being there.'_

' _Thanks_ _,_ _babe.'_ She was glad they could communicate like this; she didn't know what she would do without him. _'Just remember to bring back pictures or you're sleeping on the sofa when you get back.'_ His threat was hollow and she knew it, still it had her chuckling softly.

Kate was impressed with the hotel room. It really was a one bedroom unit that had a living room and even a mini kitchen that didn't allow you to cook in it but it had everything else including a microwave. The decor was a little traditional for her taste, but it was nice.

She met Oscar in the restaurant for breakfast. She was eating like a pig since she was starving and noticed that he was watching. "I'm hungry," she said defensively. He remained silent but tilted his head at her like he knew she was not telling him something. It didn't help that she put Tabasco sauce on her eggs.

oXo

"MOM!" Kate was first in the room and found her sitting up in bed. She wrapped herself around her mother as best she could. Kate chastised her a little after letting go of her. "I think you scared both of us to death," she said, tightening her embrace. Oscar hugged his wife and gave her a quick kiss.

"I don't remember you being this difficult," Johanna admitted.

"So I'm difficult now, am I?" Kate did her best to glare at her mother only to watch a mirror look back at her. "Have you seen him yet?" Kate tried to deflect since if they kept this up one of them was going to burst.

"Not yet. They won't let me out of this bed. What's he look like?" Johanna wanted information.

"Be right back," Kate suddenly announced and pulled out her cell phone while she walked.

Johanna stared at Oscar for an answer. "He's tiny Jo, I won't lie. Just over 5 pounds. They're helping him to breathe a little and even I haven't been allowed to get too close yet," he admitted which got Johanna to soften her stance a little.

Suddenly she looked worried and defeated. "I should have listened and taken it easy. ...I'm so sorry. This is all my fault." Her eyes filled with tears and she covered her face with her hands as she wept.

"Oh, Jo! Don't cry, darling." He hugged her as best he could again and felt Johanna hug him back. "He'll be fine," he assured her to calm her nerves. "This is a good hospital." What he started to think but stopped himself was, _'Hope he doesn't spontaneously shift while being looked after.'_ Johanna might hear him and he feared that.

oXo

Eventually Kate had no choice but to drive to Newcastle and get back to work after she checked in with WYDOT that the road was clear enough for 4x4s with chains. It took her just as long to get home as it did to drive to the hospital. She had arranged for Oscar to keep his suite for another week since the baby was going to be staying in the hospital for a little while still.

Kate was tired when she dragged herself in the front door and was greeted by a very happy to see her Midas and Maggie followed shortly by Patch and Thor. She was still petting and greeting the dogs. "MOM!" She was almost knocked on her butt when Alexis slammed into her and hugged her tightly.

"Hi, sweetie." Kate hugged her back and soon Sam was hugging her as well. She turned her attention to the little blond. "And how are you?"

"Okay," Sam offered softly.

"Well, I'm okay, too." Kate smiled and kissed both of them. "I have news for you two. My mother had a baby boy. They are still figuring out what his name is but he's really small. You won't get to see him for a while, maybe weeks, but he's beautiful." Kate had taken a few pictures and used the limited zoom of her phone to show her mother and pulled it out to show Alexis and Sam.

"Why's he in a box?" Alexis didn't understand.

"That's to help him breathe better. He's just so small that he needs a little help, but he's getting better. I promise," Kate assured them both.

"He doesn't have any hair," Sam remarked.

Kate smiled. "A lot of babies are born without hair. It will grow out as he grows, you'll see. I'll bet you were born without hair," she challenged Sam who simply shook her head. She was born with hair, she was sure of it. "We'll just have to find your baby pictures and look, won't we?" she teased as Sam shook her head which caused Kate to chuckle.

"I have more news for you two." Kate fished out one of the pictures of her ultrasound. "I'm going to have two babies and this is what they look like now."

"Where?" Sam was squinting hard. The picture didn't look like any baby she ever saw.

"Here and here. They're rather small now but that will change and my stomach is going to get really big." She was _not_ looking forward to that part. "You remember how big I got when I was pregnant with Ava? Well I'm going to get even bigger this time." **  
**

Alexis and even Sam to a lesser extent tried mightily to picture Kate ever being that big, it just wasn't possible. Alexis was concerned for her. "How are you going to walk, Mom?"

Kate smiled at Alexis's serious face. "It will become a little difficult later, that's true." She was groaning internally, though. _'_

 _I heard that_ _,_ _'_ Rick teased as he walked up the stairs from the basement.

"Mom's gonna have _two_ babies, Dad!" Alexis thought she was spilling the beans and was the first to tell him.

"WHAT! Are you sure?" He was willing to play along and watched as Alexis handed him the picture. "I don't see anything, are you sure?" Rick continued to play with her.

"They're little, Dad. You have to look close." Alexis wasn't catching on that she was being toyed with.

"You're going to have to show me." Rick squinted at the picture partly because he was having trouble seeing the twins. "Wait, you said they? As in more than one?" He tried his best to look shocked and missed seeing Kate trying to keep a straight face but could hear her chuckling inside.

"Here and here, Dad." Alexis did her best to trace their shapes with her finger.

"Two babies, huh?" He directed his question at Kate who was smiling wide since she could feel his love flowing straight to her heart. The happiness he felt and telling their family. Next she found herself in one of his amazing hugs that only helped her and was then kissed soundly as Alexis and Sam turned their backs so they didn't have to see. However, both girls sported huge smiles.

"It's almost lunchtime; do you think Mom's hungry?" Rick was directing his question at Alexis and Sam.

"YES!" Kate answered his question since she was starving again. "A banquet for the mommy-to-be-again coming right up," he announced. "You two ready to help me feed her?" he asked, looking at Alexis and Sam who nodded enthusiastically just as Ava made her wants known.

"I'll get her and meet you in the kitchen." Kate turned and went upstairs.

Rick had already been told everything by Kate concerning Johanna, Oscar, and the baby. The baby's condition didn't need to be explained in detail to the girls. They probably wouldn't understand and didn't need to worry about something they couldn't do anything about anyway.

He fed Alexis and Sam while Kate fed Ava and cleaned up her face once in a while as she made a mess while eating. "Interesting that Ava loves peas but hates carrots," Kate commented. They had given up trying to feed her carrots. **  
**

"She has taken a shine lately to turkey, bananas, and sweet potatoes. I was thinking of trying to see if she liked zucchini and amaranth next in a couple of months. It has at least one of what she likes," Rick offered. **  
**

"Well, no time like the present. Where is it?" Kate rummaged around, fished it out of the pantry, and put away the spinach for later.

"The not ready for construction drawings of the extension and barn are on my computer. If we want to make any changes now's the time. Construction is scheduled to start next month. It should make the town happy since they'll all need some place to stay and eat for several months and the construction manager will hire some local workers to fill their ranks," he informed her and let her eat while looking at the drawings.

Kate wrote down some notes to send back. The master closet needed to be bigger. What she was hoping for was a walk through closet shaped like a horse shoe with a closet organizer in it and lots of light. They could take a little space from the bathroom and from the massive walk-in shower so long as she got to keep that tub. The sitting room could be made smaller, too, to gain the space.

"We need to go outside and call Allison in. She needs to look at her space and tell us if she's willing to take the job," Kate told him.

"Tell me again why we waited so long to ask her if she wanted to be our nanny?" He was still having trouble understanding why she was holding out asking. He was the procrastinator in their family.

Kate tried to explain herself again. "Because I wanted to have something to show her, to give her an idea of the space she's going to have all to herself. And if she wants to make changes now is the time. Plus we need to get her to make notes on the interior she wants to see. We also need to ask her if she's married or has someone in her life."

"And you're satisfied with the amount we are offering her?" Rick asked since they didn't expect Allison to do it for free. He liked Allison and especially liked her last name, Buteo. It delighted his love of words since Buteo was the genus of medium to fairly large, wide-ranging raptors which was what she was when she shifted. **  
**

"$41,190 annually with a $1,970 annual bonus at Thanksgiving, $28 an hour for overtime, a house account for her to purchase things for the girls or babies of $4,000 annually on a prepaid credit card. The use of my Jeep when she wishes for shopping trips or whatever. We pay for the insurance while she pays for the gas. Did I miss anything?" She was done making notes and closed the laptop. Then she rinsed her plate and put it in the dishwasher. "Oh, the three weeks of PTO for her to take time off with for vacations or if she ever gets sick. We need to draw up the contract and Mom can't help us with that." She was still in the hospital and Kate wasn't adding anything that would slow down her recovery.

"We need to add her and likely her significant other to our plans to attend Disney right after Thanksgiving later this year," Rick pointed out. Fortunately all they had so far was the park hopper passes. If Allison, her S.O., and their clan leader agreed, they could start reserving hotel space and airfare for all of them. Plus passes for those two.

Kate was betting they were being watched and could only hope it was the Red-tailed Hawk clan. Serena wouldn't just let a Dragon be left alone in case Paladin came back. So both of them were outside in the snow while Rick waved and Kate whistled.

It took a few times but she was proven right when a hawk-like bird flew in close and shifted into a lovely, naked woman who stepped into the robe that Rick held up. "We were hoping you were watching over us. You especially, Allison. We want to have a word with you if you'll come inside. We can introduce you to Samantha or Sam for short," Kate said.

"I have seen Sam. She is very cute as a tiny purple dragon and it is my pleasure to help a Wyvern in any way I can." She stepped inside to greet Alexis, Sam, and Ava in person.

It took them three hours to work through everything but they were finally finished. They watched as Allison flew off. "She's a Bird shifter?" Sam wasn't surprised as much as Alexis was. Alexis only knew of Bears and Dragons; Birds came as a shock.

"You think you can let her be a part of our family, her and her boyfriend? We're going to need help when the twins arrive. We just aren't going to have as much time as we would like with both of you each day. Babies need a lot of work." Kate wanted them to understand and be onboard with this.

Alexis only had one concern. "Is he nice like she says?" Allison had been nice and hadn't treated them as little kids.

"She has to see if he's willing to move and maybe help her and she needs permission from her clan leader." Kate was hoping he was nice, too. They had yet to meet him. All Kate and Rick got from Alexis and Sam was a shrug of their shoulders. It left them all hoping this worked out. Allison had taken a printout of the apartment above the barn and had left notes on what she wanted the interior to look like.

Allison having a boyfriend that might be helping her with her job had come as a small surprise. Kate and Rick quickly came up with a salary of half hers with the same yearly bonus and use of the car as well as overtime compensation. However, the prepaid credit card remained the same at the same amount.

Now they just had to get the notes she had on the interior over to Oscar so he could start work on the kitchen design and get all of the changes back to the architect so they could stay on schedule.

They just had one last hurdle to complete. Someone was going to be out in three months while the place was under construction to do a home inspection for their adoption of Sam. They had asked Allison to attend as well since she would be in direct contact with Sam daily

Kate found Rick on the sectional watching ZNN again late that night and snuggled up close to him. Having him close and smelling him was getting her hormones going. She started to pay attention and began asking questions. "What are they saying? Anything on us losing an aircraft carrier yet? It's been months."

"The newscasters haven't said much, just that it's overdue to come into port but the Navy is being quiet about why it's late. However, there are new sinkings off the coast of Brazil with no new ones in the Indian Ocean. It's reduced tensions in the area between the US, China, and Russia. We're not blaming each other for the loss of the ships," he explained.

Her attention really wasn't on the news, though. She had something else planned. "Turn it off, babe, and come to bed while I get the Velcro straps out." She had intentions of doing wicked things to his body until she was completely satisfied.

Rick began searching for the remote even before Kate had stood up and was goosing her on the way up the stairs. They barely got the bedroom door closed and locked before each started removing the other's clothes.


	19. Chapter 19

**Evil Eyes 19**

 **Late March** **2003** **Changed to late March because of referrals to starting construction about the first week of April**

Kate had driven back to Rapid City almost three weeks later. They had kept the baby boy in NICU for only a week and the three of them had spent the next week in Oscar's hotel room thanks to the snow since it had continued to snow for days. It was only after the road was declared clear enough to drive that Kate tried it.

She had an appointment with her shifter-friendly OB/GYN to get another ultrasound of the twins. "Their growth rate is good and they're developing normally. I see no signs of any damage from your earlier shifting. Just remember you absolutely _cannot_ shift until after you deliver them or you can and will damage them both severely, if not actually cause a miscarriage," Doctor Hamilton warned Kate as she handed her pictures of the twins for Rick.

So Kate was forced to watch as her family shifted and go out into their acreage to play. Even Sam was getting into the hang of it and Kate was proud of her.

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Kate got Sam and Alexis up and into the tub before going downstairs to find her breakfast already waiting for her and Ava sitting in her highchair smiling while Rick fed her. She was thoroughly enjoying her cereal as well as getting it all over her face. "You having fun, baby girl?" Kate bent down and kissed her head before starting to eat her own breakfast. She was done before Rick could even finish feeding Ava. As soon as he was done wiping her little face he was going to start making breakfast for the girls. **  
**

"Hungry?" he teased with a wide smile.

"Hush, you," she countered with a mock glare. "I'm going to hurry the girls along. We need to get going soon. Any plans for the weekend?" she asked him since he was always planning something.

"My latest manuscript went into the publisher a short time ago. I expect to start receiving edits soon if not already. And there's snow still on the ground so we can't use the trailer, but I'll think of something. You know me." Rick had a challenge and he was going to come up with some kind of activity or outing.

"I'm sure you will." Kate had no doubts as she lifted up on her toes to give him a quick kiss. "I'll send the girls down while I get dressed." She changed the subject. "When does construction start?"

"Groundbreaking starts the first week of April, so pretty soon. They need to prepare the site and get the utilities routed as well as start on the expansion of the septic tank and drain field system. More bathrooms means more waste and what we have now is too small. Plus we need a completely new system hookup for the barn and apartment. Oscar's working on the kitchen already." Rick was Oscar's first client in his not yet complete office.

"We need to go see Mom and my baby brother tonight so don't cook," Kate told him and headed upstairs to get the girls ready and downstairs.

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Rick was satisfied with his plans for the weekend and had just started getting stuff out of storage when he felt a wave of sadness. He wasn't sad so it wasn't him. He was actually happy and upbeat over his plan. _'Kate,_ _what's wrong? H_ _as something happened?'_ It could only be her he was feeling.

She had heard him but was presently distracted as a moping Sam and Alexis trudged upstairs to their rooms. They had both been quiet all the way home which was unusual especially for Alexis who unlike Sam, loved school.

She continued to ignore him and followed the girls upstairs. She decided to start with Sam first. A quick knock and going into Sam's room, she found the little blond curled up on her bed, crying. Her heart sank again over what Sam was going through. Losing her dad only made what Sam was going through that much more personal.

Sam didn't say a word but did curl up into Kate and just kept crying. Kate simply kissed her and held her and let her cry for a time. "What happened? Something at school?" Kate could only guess.

"I'm Unseelie," Sam finally whispered, sharing her deepest fear. Her mother was gone and she didn't understand, really. She was Fae and she was a dragon. Her mother had said she was going to be powerful, but her mother hadn't finished her tattoo, so she had become Unseelie.

"Why would you think that? You're the sweetest girl I know." Next to Alexis and Ava maybe, but still Sam had always been quiet and a little shy. She was only a little older than Alexis, attended the same school and they were even in the same class so they had each other all day. Paige and Jenny were each a little older so were in a different class.

"What happened Sam? You need to talk to me. We're Dragons remember. We Dragons talk to each other." Kate tried to use their similarities to reach her.

oXo

Kate dragged herself downstairs and found Rick in the basement with Ava. He was taking things out of storage and piling them up to take somewhere, she guessed. However, she ignored what he was doing, wrapped her arms around him, and waited for one of his hugs.

Her soul was aching for her almost-daughter but an idea came to her so she left Rick and went over to Ava. She awkwardly knelt down and undressed her littlest girl. "Shift for me sweetie. I need you to go upstairs and spend some time with Sam. She's hurting and I think you can help." Kate was only guessing but Ava _had_ helped before.

Kate wasn't surprised when Ava shifted into a baby Dragon and waited, looking at her mother. "Go to Sam, sweetheart; see if you can help her. She's in her bedroom. I left the door open for you." She watched her baby lope over to the stairs and out of sight.

Rick was being patient but it was wearing thin. He helped Kate up, enveloped her in his arms, and felt her melt into him. "What's going on, love?" Having Ava as a Dragon inside the house was something that didn't happen anymore.

"A couple of girls at school started teasing Sam, then they got mean and started teasing her about her mother, or lack there of. Sam apparently finally blew her cool and erupted. Nothing physical, it would appear. She simply got angry and used a Fae power that she didn't know she had. Now she thinks she is an evil Fae." Kate sighed and snuggled closer to her husband.

He simply squeezed her a little tighter. "Well she did say Fae would have powers. What did she do or did she say?"

"She's not entirely sure herself. She didn't mean to but she got them to stop. Apparently she made them subservient to her and had them do something that would embarrass them in front of the other kids."

"Alexis says she actually saw some kind of sparkle leave Sam and hit each girl who instantly stopped harassing Sam and actually became sweet and kind to her. She doesn't think anyone else saw it but isn't sure."

Rick tried to break it down into something he could understand. "So she's afraid that she's become a Sith Lord instead of a Jedi Knight," he mused. Kate quivered with silent laughter. Only her husband would use a Star Wars analogy.

"Something like that." She grabbed handfuls of his shirt and wished he was a Bear so she could get handfuls of fur instead. Still she pressed her nose into him and breathed in her mate's scent. It helped to calm her fears.

"And Ava?" He still didn't know much about what a Dragon could do, not even Kate much less his baby girl, though he did know Kate had powers as well.

"Just a hunch. Ava managed to help Sam earlier when she learned her family was all dead, so maybe she can do something about it now. Maybe her powers are different than mine even if she is the same color. If not, I'm sending you upstairs to give her a hug."

Rick smiled down at her. "I would do that anyway, and since we're on the subject... I got a call today. The state's sending someone out in late April to inspect our home and determine if we're fit to be parents so we can adopt Sam."

His news had Kate melting into him further. What else could go wrong? The state had perfect timing. The place would be a mess with the start of construction.

"I can feel what you feel, you know," he rumbled, reminding her of their connection. "We'll have blueprints to show him or her, about what we are doing for her and all of us. If we can get Allison to show up he can interview her, too. It'll work Kate. How could he not see what we are doing for our children?" Rick had fewer worries over this visit and his Bear hug was taking Kate's away.

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Kate had Alexis in one tub and was just getting Sam into the other. "Did your mother tell you anything about being Fae? What your powers would be?" She needed to understand just what Sam was capable of. But all she got from Sam was her shaking her head.

"I'm sorry she's gone, sweetheart, really. I lost my dad and I know how much it hurts. I wish I could say the pain would go away, but I still miss him. It's alright to miss them. We're doing everything we can for you to stay with us. We'll add Rodgers to your name. Samantha Adriel Patinelli-Rodgers. Alexis, Ava, and the twins will be a part of your family. You'll be part of a big family" Kate tried to smile at that thought.

Never in her life did she ever think of having five kids. One maybe two at the most some day. Oh, how her life had changed! _'We so need Allison to agree. I'm not ready to be a mother of five kids,'_ Kate told her husband.

 _'You didn't want a big family? Growing up alone I always dreamed of having a large family. Maybe we can have another set of...'_

She cut him off. _'Finish that thought at your own peril,'_ she informed him rather brusquely and was rewarded with silence.

"We'll talk about your powers later. Right now we need to get you to school and me into work," Kate said with a soft smile. She kissed her head before getting up slowly just as her stomach grumbled rather loudly causing Sam to giggle. "I'm starving, alright?" She poked Sam in the arm and left her to finish bathing.

Kate was positively inhaling her food. Sam and Alexis stared at her in amazement while she ate and watched as she stole pieces of bacon or bites of sausage off their plates. She was even doing the same thing with Rick. "What!?" She looked at all of them staring at her.

"I'll make meals for five next time," Rick teased as Kate stuck her tongue out at him which got another giggle from Sam, quickly followed by Alexis chortling. Ava took that moment to pound on her highchair tray.

"Not to worry baby girl, I'm not going to eat your breakfast." She tried to reassure her while Rick was feeding her something new. They were both amazed that Ava was eating all of it like it was the greatest thing on the planet.

"We are so buying more of this!" he exclaimed and Kate nodded in agreement. Ava could be a fussy eater at times.

"I'm going to go take a shower, get changed, and then we can go." Kate directed her statement at Alexis and Sam.

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Work turned out to be a slow day for which Kate was thankful. Lately this town had had enough excitement to last it for years, if not generations. She picked up Alexis and Sam from school and drove them home while questioning Sam about what had happened.

Arriving at home proved to be more difficult than planned. "Seriously?" she muttered as she zigged and zagged her way closer to the house. She parked next to their Expedition and was amazed at all the machines and people that were everywhere. "Looks like construction has started already," she said mostly to herself since she thought they several more days before it all began. Still maybe this was good news. The state idiot was coming in a few weeks to see if they were fit parents so they could adopt Sam.

Naturally the dogs went nuts as soon as the front door was opened and they were greeted enthusiastically. "Go change and you two can go outside to play with the dogs." Kate watched them both run up the stairs.

She found Rick with Ava in front of the TV. "It's called a boob tube for a reason, babe," she teased while sitting down next to him and bumping his shoulder.

"Not this time," he countered which got Kate to pay attention to the news he was watching. She eventually saw that the news that the United States had lost a carrier in the Indian Ocean had finally gotten out. However, the Navy wasn't talking so there was a lot of speculation on what had happened. The predominant theory so far was that China had launched something and it had hit the carrier. But a number of _"e_ _xperts_ _"_ had argued that it would take more than a single hit from any weapon to sink an aircraft carrier.

"So the undead Dragon is still a secret?" Kate questioned. She was done listening to the news and got up to go into the kitchen. If Rick wasn't cooking she certainly was. She was starving!

Rick, it turned out, had followed her and put Ava in her highchair while he got to work helping her make dinner. "Your mother says she's going back to work tomorrow. It seems business has slowed since she's been gone, though the buses still show up regularly," he told her.

"Sounds like Mom; she doesn't listen to anyone for long," Kate groused. "And if you think what I think you're thinking, you're sleeping on the sectional!" She waved her spoon at him.

He opened his mouth to counter her thought but thought better of it and snapped it closed. He moved to feed Ava. She was slapping her highchair's tray letting them know she wanted to be fed, too.

Later that night as Kate got into bed and snuggled up close to her husband, she said, "I don't think Sam knows just what she did. The girls at school were teasing her and she wanted it to stop but had up to now done nothing about it. Alexis says they are actually nice to Sam now."

"Alter how or what they think of her, sounds like an interesting power. Amber didn't tell her anything?" Rick could feel Kate shake her head in answer.

"She's young still; maybe that was just a reaction power, something she didn't really mean or knew that she could do. Wonder what she can do when she puts her mind to it?"

"Something like Carrie maybe," Rick mused but didn't think so since Sam had been nothing but nice.

"Sam is not Unseelie; she just needs to learn how to control the powers she does have. Unfortunately none of us truly understand what they are." Kate buried her face into Rick's chest and breathed in his scent as her hand wandered a little south.

"Your hand moves any lower and we're going to be awake for a few more hours," he warned just as he felt her take hold of his soft penis that was already starting to respond.

oXo

A content and satisfied Kate snuggled in a little closer as Rick continued to sleep. That was right up until she heard someone yell, "Mom!" Launching herself out of bed woke Rick. She ran down the hall and stopped at Sam's partially open door first. It was there that she could hear a sniffling Sam inside.

She decided not to say anything and just held her and let her cry. What had brought on this sudden episode escaped her but it didn't matter. Sam was still hurting and that was all that was important.

Her bed was just a twin bed at the moment. Both girls' rooms would eventually be renovated and they would get bigger beds. With little effort Kate lifted up a docile Sam who clung to her like her life depended on it. She carried her to their room where she found Rick just stepping out of the bathroom.

"What happened?" Rick approached both of them and stroked Sam's back. "You know, it doesn't really matter. Let me have her; she can sleep with me for the rest of the night." He motioned with his hand to tell her she didn't need to answer that and scooped Sam from her arms. While it sounded funny to Kate the way he put it he knew what he had planned and it was likely just what Sam needed. A true Bear hug to take the pain away.

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Kate didn't think it was possible but as she drove home from work with Sam and Alexis a little early, the area around the house looked even worse. The area for the RV barn was being worked on as well as a line leading out to the septic system which itself was being worked on while still another group was expanding the drain field way out away from the house. There were cars, trucks, and a plethora of machinery everywhere.

However, it was the car that had "State of Wyoming" on it that filled her with dread. It left her wondering why Rick hadn't said something about him or her being there. Still there was nothing to do about it now.

Kate led the girls inside and found Rick, Ava, and Allison along with a young man that she took to be her boyfriend, as well as a person she was guessing was from the state, all in the living room. Rick had all of the plans for the house expansion and addition up on the TV and was just changing to the pictures of what Sam and Alexis's rooms were going to look like after the remodel was complete.

"Mrs. Rodgers, my name is Greg Barnridge from the State of Wyoming child placement services." He had noticed their entrance and had actually stood up to greet her and the girls. "We were just going over your home expansion after having a conversation with your nanny and her boyfriend. I suggest that we complete the presentation and then I will need some time alone with Samantha so I can talk with her without your coaching."

The Dragon inside Kate growled at the _"_ _c_ _oaching"_ comment. Still she ignored her Dragon and overlooked his hopefully unintended slight that they would coach Sam at what to say. She simply sat down next to her husband and let him take over while finishing explaining what they had planned.

Rick finished up his explanation of the changes. "Construction is scheduled to take close to a year. By winter they will be working on the finishes inside the heated building since construction will have been completed by then. Alexis and Sam's rooms will be changed at that time along with all the other rooms."

Greg started asking a number of questions and took copious notes. "If you don't mind I would like to speak with Samantha now, followed by Alexis."

"Alexis, why Alexis?" Kate's motherly protection kicked in. He wasn't there to talk to Alexis or take her from them.

"Until Ava arrived, Alexis was an only child. All of these changes will affect how she views and interacts with Samantha, so I need to determine if there is any animosity on her part for this change." Greg held up his hand. "I'm aware you are pregnant again. Your husband has informed me. I'm sure you and your husband have talked to both Alexis and Samantha about the new baby that will be introduced into this family. However, Samantha is not a baby; her needs are different. I need to determine how much animosity Alexis has with regards to sharing her parents and home with Samantha. Now if you'll call her down, I can get started and then tour the remainder of your home." He simply sat there and waited for them to do as they were told.

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Kate was seeing Allison and her boyfriend out the front door while Rick went up the stairs to check on Sam and Alexis. The young couple had been dressed in clothes and now they were wearing robes. She wondered how and when that had happened. It was something she would ask Rick later. "Thank you Allison, you two may have just saved Sam from disappearing into the system." Technically Greg still had a lot of paperwork to fill out and some of it would be forwarded to them to sign. Still he was leaving without Sam and that was all Kate and Rick cared about. She was almost theirs. Just a little more paperwork with a follow-up visit from the state in a year's time. Rick and Kate weren't quite out of the woods yet, but they were a lot closer then they used to be. **  
**

"It was a pleasure to serve you. I look forward to the completion of the apartment. We will be ready in any case following the birth of your twins. I look forward to two more Wyverns in the world." Allison was amazingly calm and displayed a maturity beyond her years. Kate was quite pleased actually. It hopefully meant Allison didn't get rattled easily by rambunctious kids that wanted to test her.

Kate wasn't sure what they were going to do with two more Dragons in the family. Maybe living on a remote island wasn't such a bad idea after all.

She watched as both of them dropped their robes and took off running before they shifted into a pair of Red-tailed Hawks then flew away.


	20. Chapter 20

**Evil Eyes 20**

 _ **L**_ _ **ate May 2003**_

Kate was driving home after picking up the girls from school and found her home just as congested as it was last month. It looked like the general contractor had been busy, however, it was the official-looking car sporting a seal on the door that had her concerned, plus Rick hadn't said anything to her.

Still she kept a tight hold of Sam as they hurried inside. She was handing over Sam over her dead body!

"Babe?" Kate could feel and hear her fear in her voice. She was wholly invested in the little wisp of a girl. Her heart was completely involved. But all Rick did was look at her funny. "There's a state car out front," she said a low voice, expecting bad news. Since she was still armed, someone was going to get shot and they could run off to Rick's island never to be seen again.

"It's just the county building inspector. He's here to give the okay so they can pour the concrete floor for the addition and the barn which is scheduled for tomorrow. It should take several concrete trucks then they can get started on framing since all the underground is installed," Rick informed her.

Relief swept through her as she relaxed and closed her eyes. In her fear, all that had registered was that the car had a seal on the door, not that it wasn't the state seal. Suddenly she was aware that Sam was squirming under her tight hold. "Sorry sweetie. How about you and Alexis go change and then go downstairs and play?" Kate suggested.

"They can't." Rick stopped them in their tracks. "The contractor hasn't filled in the opening between the two spaces yet. There's only a sheet of plastic between the inside and outside. I've closed off all the doors to try and keep the cool air out down there. They can use the play set instead."

Kate sighed. This expansion was starting to be a pain in their ass. She needed to remind herself of the ultimate goal. "Fine, go change into some play clothes, take a sweater, and go outside. Just stay away from the workers and let them work." She watched them run up the stairs for their rooms.

"And don't let Midas and Maggie out," Rick called after them. It was only then that she had noticed they hadn't been greeted as usual.

"Speaking of the dogs, where are they?" Kate looked around before looking at her husband.

"They both took to not liking the workers too close to the house so I locked them in Alexis's bedroom. They have to be on a leash when they're taken out to do their business," he told her.

"I'm going to go change and put in an order for a larger maternity uniform. This one doesn't fit anymore." Kate liked certain aspects of being pregnant. The increased need for sex was one of them. The need for different clothes wasn't and she hadn't even thought very hard on how much bigger she was going to get. About her feet swelling, her back hurting, and the muscles and skin stretching to accommodate the babies. However, for now she was still enjoying it even at 7 months.

 _'_ _I heard that_ _,'_ Rick told her which had Kate shaking her head. She still hadn't gotten used to being so open with another person even if she did love him with every bit of her soul. _'_ _Love you_ _,_ _too_ _,'_ she heard inside her head as she sent him her feelings of love for him and missed seeing him shiver from the effect.

"God, I love being bonded," he whispered before heading for the kitchen to start work on dinner. _'_ _Rem_ _ember_ _, your mother_ _and_ _Oscar_ _a_ _re coming over tonight to drop off_ _Aidan prior to_ _going into the restaurant._ _'_ Kate and Rick, as well as Alexis and Sam to a lesser extent, had become the babysitters for Kate's little brother when Johanna and Oscar went into the restaurant.

The thought of seeing the little guy had her smiling on her way into the bathroom to take a quick shower and wash away the day's cares.

Kate was fast and had changed into something comfortable with the intent of changing into something far more sexy later and enticing him to take it off her before making love to her. She was just stepping out of their bedroom when she saw the girls and the dogs running down the stairs. "Get Midas and Maggie's leashes, you two. You know how they feel about all the contractors," she yelled which had them, kids and dogs both, hitting the brakes.

"Sorry Mom."

"Sorry Kate," came almost at the same time as all four of them came back up the stairs in search of the retractable leashes. Then her cell phone that she'd left behind in the bedroom rang. Kate sighed and her shoulders slumped in weariness since it likely meant it was the office.

"Beckett." She listened for a moment. "That's fine Mom, we'll come get him." Kate hung up and went downstairs in search of her husband.

"Mom called; Oscar's taking her to the hospital. Something about a high blood pressure reading. So I have to go get Aidan and bring him here for the night."

Rick only heard the word _hospital._ "Is she alright?" His imagination quickly ran away with him. His thoughts flew to having to adopt his wife's brother after Johanna died and Oscar had a fatal accident when he wrecked his car on the way home.

"She's fine, I think. Her doctor's concerned because she hasn't kept up with her medication so she has to come in for a quick checkup and then pick up her new prescription before going into work." Kate wasn't too worried. Her mother was stubborn about a lot of things and didn't want to have to rely on medication to live her life.

Rick let out a very relieved breath and kissed her. "I'll delay dinner till you get back. Remember to bring their diaper bag; we don't have supplies for a baby that small since he's not quite three months old." Especially since they hadn't used formula with Ava like Johanna was using for Aidan. Kate had weaned Ava two months ago on advice from her OB/GYN. Fortunately she had transitioned well to a toddler formula since she was still too young for cow's or goat's milk.

Kate kissed him. "Be back in a flash. The girls are out back with Midas and Maggie." She stopped at her daughter who was sitting in her highchair. "I'll be right back Ava, be good for Daddy." She kissed her head, stroked her hair, and got a toothy smile in return followed by Ava beating on her tray.

"I'm coming Ava, I'm coming." Rick started filling her heated, sectioned bowl with her food as Kate chuckled on her way out. Ava was starting to display her own personality and so far it was a little needy. Still Ava was hers as were the two inside her as she ran a hand over her baby bump.

' _Two more dragons. Maybe that remote island isn't such a bad idea. How_ _ever_ _are we going to hide three dragons growing up and learning how to fly?'_ Kate had her own fears circling in her mind.

' _I knew you'd see it my way_ _,_ _'_ Rick crowed. Of course, he had heard every word she thought. _'Not so fast, babe_ _. W_ _e have to get them into school and we're not paying for this addition and expansion just so you can move us.'_ Kate had to find a way to rein in her husband's planning ideas or they would end up living in the middle of the Pacific, hundreds of miles from anyone.

' _I love a challenge_ _,_ _'_ he answered which made her groan. She loved him with all her heart but there were times...

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Kate was just coming downstairs after putting Aidan down until his next feeding when there was a knock on their front door. Alexis and Sam were in bed with a dog in each bedroom guarding them so she immediately hoped it wasn't her mother or Oscar. They should be at the restaurant.

She opened the door, secure in the knowledge that between her husband and herself they could take on anyone. Besides Paladin was gone. What she found was a lovely, naked young woman standing there. "Allison!" Kate was not expecting her. "Let me get you a robe." She pulled one out of the coat closet and handed it to her.

"What brings you here? Do you need to see the plans again? Maybe make a small change?" It was the only reason she could think of for Allison to be there.

"I saw you come home with your mother's son and thought maybe you could use some help so you could get some sleep tonight," Allison replied in her forthright manner.

Kate wasn't sure if she was surprised, happy, or just shocked, so she settled for all three and huffed out a soft laugh. "I would love some help. He's in our bedroom at the moment." She motioned at the stairs. "The clothes you left behind are in our closet as are your boyfriend's."

"Fiancé," Allison corrected shyly then lifted her hand to show off her ring. **  
**

"Congratulations!" Kate was beaming. Allison had so far turned out to be a good friend and she was happy for her. She tilted her head. "Life mate?" Kate suddenly hoped so. The young woman deserved what she herself had and was a little sad when Allison shook her head.

"We are not waiting for that moment to happen for either of us. We are happy together and see no need to wait for what may never come." Allison lifted her chin as she spoke.

Kate was both happy and sad for her. "I'll contact Serena; maybe she can get you an appointment so you two can be bonded like my mother and Oscar. Provided you are willing to make love to each other – possibly multiple times – in front of strangers." Allison suddenly started blushing and glowing at the same time.

"I will speak with Thompson about it tomorrow, thank you." Allison couldn't resist and hugged Kate for this possibility. Bonding wasn't the same as being life mates but it was one step closer than what they had now.

Kate watched Allison go up the stairs before joining her husband on the sectional. "Did Allison forget something?" Rick had seen her and had let his wife talk to her.

She shook her head as she melted into her husband who pulled her into a hug that she was addicted to and didn't in the least care that she was. "She came to help us with Aidan. She saw me come home with him. Thompson proposed to her," she said with a smile.

"Did he?" Rick had hoped he would after the last time they had talked. "We need to contact Serena and ask them if..." Kate interrupted him.

"I already offered. We can get out the communicator later and talk to her about it." Right now she wanted to be hugged and breathe in the scent of her mate which only made her even more horny.

Kate didn't see him reach for the remote and was suddenly shocked when the news started talking about new ship sinkings. "Turn up the sound, please." She couldn't hear much.

She listened as the newscaster reported that there were eleven reported sinkings off the coast of Brazil over the last few weeks, and that didn't include the ships that were simply late and not considered sunk. "Eleven, really?" She was shocked.

It was only about an hour later when the topic of how quiet things had been in the Indian Ocean lately that Rick and Kate started to wonder. "Serena questioned us about that." Allison's voice suddenly sounded which had Kate and Rick twisting around to see her standing behind them. She had been so silent they had never heard her.

"Questioned you about what exactly?" Kate was curious.

"She worries that there is a correlation between sending you in Wyvern form to India only to have ships start sinking a short time later. She fears that your presence started something and it concerns her deeply," the nanny explained.

"You have friends that worry about you, including all of my clan. Losing a Wyvern that we all thought were long since dead worries all of us. My clan and I will do what we can for you and your children. Wyverns need to return to this world," Allison stated with conviction. Her statement answered a lot of Kate's unspoken questions.

"Can you show me the route you took to get to India, please?" the young woman asked and was soon looking at a world map that Rick had used to choose the route Kate had taken.

"Paladin was here." Allison pointed. "The ship sinking started here." She pointed again. "Your route home was like this." She traced the route taken. "New ship sinkings are taking place here." Again Allison pointed.

"If there are new sinkings or other disasters along your route, Serena may have reason to be concerned. The next most likely encounter will be somewhere in this area here." Allison drew a circle that encompassed a large section of the Atlantic not far off the coast of New York.

"I need to speak with Serena and my clan leader," Allison said and started for the front door.

"You can use our device. Serena left us one in case we needed to contact her." Kate left the arms of her husband reluctantly to get it and instantly missed his embrace.

' _God, when did I become so clingy?'_ Kate used to be a kick-ass homicide detective in New York City. Now she was a clingy wife and mother of three girls with two more in her belly.

' _And you love every second of it_ _,_ _'_ Rick silently countered which made her smile since it was true. She didn't want to live her life without him or the girls. They were her life and had filled most of that empty space in her heart caused by losing her father with family and love.

She handed the device to Allison and returned to Rick. She melted back into his arms as she closed her eyes and let the love she could feel from him wash over her and surround her heart.

Kate was only broken out of it when Allison returned and put the device down on the table. "Serena agrees that it is suspicious. She intends to pay you a visit soon. ...I have warned her that you have much construction taking place and not to land in your backyard," Allison said, just as Aidan made his presence known on the baby monitor that she had brought with her.

"I will be right back." Allison headed upstairs to find out what was wrong now.

"You were right about her. She's going to be perfect," Rick remarked, pleased with Allison. Kate silently agreed.

While she was gone, Rick went back to watching ZNN for more about the sinkings and what they knew about them. "Coast of New York," he whispered, thinking out loud. "New York is a big shipping hub, isn't it? Not to mention the area for all the transatlantic crossings?" Rick started to worry about what was to come.

"I shouldn't have gone." Trembling, Kate sank into her husband a little further.

"You had to and you know it. Paladin had to be destroyed. Too many shifters had already lost their lives because of that organization. Plus you remember how you felt when they showed up here and had gotten to Alexis." Rick reminded her of that horrific time.

Kate instantly relived the overwhelming fear that she had felt at the time. The screaming terror of seeing Alexis in the hands of those men. She held onto her husband a little tighter. She loved him even then, but never really understood just how much at the time. Even today she would shift into a Dragon again to protect her family and then run to her OB/GYN in Rapid City, scared to death that she had hurt her babies. But she wasn't losing Rick, Alexis, Ava, or even Sam if she could help it.

"It's chasing me, isn't it?" she asked somberly, giving voice to her fear.

"Serena believes so, yes." Allison was behind them yet again this time with a baby boy in her arms. How she did that unnerved Kate a little. She moved _so_ silently.

"So what is it?" Kate questioned.

"Death that refused to die." Allison made the statement like it was the obvious answer.

"And it's after me," Kate said, not really wanting an answer.

"Your security system is still in place, is it not?" Allison questioned.

"I forgot about that system what with all the construction taking place. I'll start checking all of the sensors in the morning. Get Alexis and Sam to help me, maybe." Rick hadn't checked the system in months – the sensors or any of the parts.

"Then I will be here to help you with Ava tomorrow while you are out of the house. Perhaps a flying lesson?" Allison had watched as Ava tried mightily to fly.

"Just not in front of the construction workers," Kate reminded her.

"Of course not, ma'am. No one touches Ava or any of the children if I can help it." Allison wanted to see the skies filled with Wyverns again. She just hoped she would live long enough to see that day.

Kate turned back around and looked at the map on the screen again. "The coast of New York." The city of New York used to be her home and she still had good thoughts and feelings for the city. Had her killing Paladin doomed it and themselves?

"We will be ready, ma'am; nothing will happen to your children. My clan leader will come up with a plan. Kodiak Bears are not the only shifters in this area. You have far more friends than you know," Allison assured Kate in her quiet manner.

' _We need to ask Serena just how many types_ _of_ _shifters there are_ _,_ _babe.'_ Kate felt her husband agree with her. Rick knew of a few Bear types but all of these Birds were something new. If there were Birds what else was there?

' _Whales, maybe?'_ Rick was suddenly grinning and it earned him a poke in the ribs from his wife.

It did, however, add to Kate's worries about who was out there that might try to stop this _Thing._ Who or what was going to be risking their lives for her and her family? Were they even a match for an undead dragon? Hell, was _she?_

 _'_ _It gets to you or our children over my dead body.'_ Rick pulled her in even tighter and tried to increase the power of his hug. Meanwhile, Allison sat down in a chair with a now awake Aidan so she could play with him and make him smile. She could feel the shifter that was still hidden inside him and wanted to see what type he was. She had her guess but that was all it was, a guess. Allison didn't see Kate and Rick smiling at her and her actions.

They had a friend; they knew it and were happy to have her and her fiancé.


	21. Chapter 21

**Evil Eyes 21**

 _ **Early**_ _ **June 2003**_

Kate was standing out front in the dark, holding a robe in her hands, waiting. She didn't have long to wait as a Red-tailed Hawk sailed in and shifted into a naked Allison who stepped into the offered robe, giving her thanks. "Can I help you, ma'am?" Allison questioned since this visit was unplanned.

"Please call me Kate, Allison. I get enough of 'ma'am' at work. You're a friend," she tried yet again. Allison _had_ tried it a few times; it was just that _m_ _a'am_ always seem to come out instead. "We have a question for you that you and your fiancé will need to discuss." Kate escorted her inside where she found Rick waiting for her with a glass of wine.

"So I need alcohol for this question?" Allison decided to tease them.

"No, no, nothing like that. We simply have plans and need to find out how to include you in them," Kate told her and then watched Allison start smiling, telling Kate she had been played. She gave Allison one of her patented glares.

"We have two family outings planned this year and you need to be informed so you can decide what to do," Kate said as they sat down on the sectional while Rick brought up something on the TV using his laptop.

"We won a three night stay at a dude ranch outside of Laramie that we need to use before Christmas. It's a nice room but only comes with one bed, so we'll be going to Denver soon to pick up the new Fifth Wheel RV and truck with which to pull it while trading in the camper. Someone gets the bedroom with one bed while everyone else will be in the RV," Rick began. **  
**

"We're hoping to get there before I'm too far along in my pregnancy to enjoy it. Meaning sometime in the next month. Take a day to drive out there, spend three nights and then a day to drive back. Your fiancé is welcome to come along," Kate said encouragingly.

Rick started showing her the Water Valley Ranch's website so she could see what the place had to offer. "A working ranch with horseback rides and BBQ, sounds fun. I will ask him and tell you as soon as I know." Allison was interested. Working with the Rodgers was proving to be a fun choice.

"We have one more trip planned which will be after the twins are born. We bought Alexis a pass to Walt Disney World last Christmas and are starting to make plans on where to stay. We plan on being there right after Thanksgiving when the place isn't so busy and the lines will be short. It's not cold yet and not unbearably hot either," Rick said.

"We could really use your help on this trip; we'll pay for everything. Naturally your fiancé is welcome to come with us. We just need to know how many park hopper passes to purchase along with airfare and how many bedrooms we need," Kate explained. **  
**

"Walt Disney World." Allison started smiling. She was already glad to help Kate and her family, this only made her choice more fruitful. "We accept. Even if he does not want to go I will talk him into it." She shifted her position a little and was smiling from ear to ear.

To Kate that meant she was going to ply him with sex to get what she wanted. By her own experience with her husband, it usually worked. "Thank you, Allison." Kate leaned over and hugged her. They so needed for Allison to agree to go on both trips.

Allison changed the subject. "Your contractor appears to be making progress."

"So far he's on schedule. He hopes to be done before New Years, though the furniture for all the rooms may show up after that due partly to the weather," Rick remarked.

"Is Aiden not staying here tonight?" She usually helped Kate look after him when he stayed and she had grown to like him a lot along with Alexis and Sam as well as Ava especially.

"Oscar made Mom stay home after the doctor told her to work less and reduce her stress, so he's at the restaurant alone tonight. Actually I expect Mom to call tonight and ask for help," Kate said with a soft laugh. She found it amusing that she was the mother even to her own mother's son.

"Then I will fly over there after I leave and offer to help," Allison said.

Kate shook her head. "That's not really..." She stopped when Allison held up her hand.

"I am glad to help. Aiden is a shifter and I am eager to see him shift into whatever his form is, to see him as his beast for the first time. I'm sure he will be handsome just like his father," Allison assured them.

Kate knew she couldn't stop her. "I'm sure Mom would appreciate any help you give her." She knew when to surrender to the inevitable.

It was a short time later and Kate was outside holding a robe and watching as a naked Allison ran off to turn into a Red-tailed Hawk and fly off. _'Shifters and_ _F_ _ae, who would have thought_ _,_ _'_ she mused to herself and only felt the love her husband had for her wash over her which actually brought tears to her eyes. She was loved so much and loved her family just as much. It was a life she was sure she would never have.

Once back inside she found her husband handing her a phone and her heart sank a little. It had the office on the caller ID. "Beckett."

"Sorry, ma'am, but we have a problem. LT is already on site but we thought you should know. The fire department has responded to a call. It's, uh...it's the Patinelli house," Rebecca, the 911 operator on duty that night, said tersely. "It's on fire."

Kate was ready to collapse. What else could go wrong? Was this town suddenly cursed? "I'll be right there. Tell LT to stay there and I'm coming. Thanks, Rebecca." She ended the call and looked at her husband.

"I'll watch the girls; go, do your job. It's okay, love." Rick took the phone from her hand.

She felt bad about leaving but knew she had to; it was part of her job. "I'll tell you what I find. Don't tell Sam, we'll figure out what to tell her later." Kate kissed him before hurrying up the stairs to get her stuff.

She found Rick waiting for her with a to-go mug of herbal tea and a sandwich bag. "Thanks, babe." Kate wrapped her arms around him, sent her love for him, then headed to her car. She felt his love for her wash over her just as she started her PT Cruiser and began the drive to Sam's old home.

She saw the flames long before she even got there, the fact that it was dark out helped. Kate parked far enough away and walked into the area where she found LT who was himself standing far enough away out of the way of the firefighters.

"LT," Kate greeted him.

"Ma'am," he replied with a nod.

"What've we got?"

"It was a 911 call into the office. Rebecca immediately recognized the address so I drove out here to look. It was fully involved when I arrived. It's going to be a total loss. The firefighters are attempting to keep it from spreading to the neighbors' homes. They've already been evacuated." LT pointed to a few people who looked like they were still in their pajamas while wrapped in light blankets. It cool outside and breezy which fanned the flames. **  
**

"Get their statements and let's see if they know what started it and if they saw anything or anyone. You know the drill," she ordered and watched as he walked off to do his job.

Kate watched it burn. She was a little thankful that someone had already bought the place and that Sam already had the money. It wasn't a lot but it all went into her account for when she grew up. She just sighed while she watched the firefighters and looked around.

' _Unseelie.'_ She heard a voice and it felt like it was right next to her so she turned her head. However, what she saw wasn't what she was expecting. It looked like a small child that was hiding under one of the fire trucks. Kate trained her eyes on whomever it was.

She suddenly saw what looked like a sparkle leave the child and strike a firefighter who abruptly dropped his hose. Water started spraying all over the place, everywhere but the fire.

Kate saw the hose out of the corner of her eye but she kept her eyes on the child. She looked strange. Her head was too big for her body and she appeared to have wings that looked to be all bone. Her dress was too bizarre for words. To Kate it looked like it had skeletons and dead people or undead people woven into it.

Her eyes were really big for a child, way too big and she was smiling a smile that unnerved Kate in a creepy sort of way. Kate watched every little move she made and then Kate felt her heart stop. The child was looking right at her and smiled.

Kate watched her wave her little arms and something sparkly launched from her fingertips headed straight for her. Kate was glued to the spot, too entranced by what she was seeing to move or even duck. The sparkle struck her but she didn't feel any different.

' _Unseel_ _i_ _e.'_ It was the voice again! Kate turned to look. This time she saw something tiny flitting all over then it hit a car and disappeared. It almost looked like Tinker Bell from Disney's _Peter Pan._ It looked like a tiny human with wings but it had a tail. Kate did her best to try and memorize what she had seen for later.

Kate turned her head back to the fire truck and found the little girl was gone. "Unseelie," she whispered to herself. She watched as another fireman picked up the hose while another helped the afflicted man to walk over to the fire truck and sit down as an EMT from the ambulance went over to him and look him over.

Kate walked over to them and watched the EMT do his job. The fireman seemed totally out of it, like he wasn't actually awake or aware of anything. Nothing the EMT did got a response. In the end, the ambulance took him away.

' _Unseelie.'_ It was that voice again only this time it was right in front Kate's face. To her, it looked like it was crying. Then it zigged and zagged and disappeared straight into the side of the fire truck.

"Fae," Kate breathed to herself. _'_ _Rick_ _, where_ _'_ _s Sam? Find her, I need to know exactly where she is_ _ **right now**_ _!_ _I think she may be in danger.'_ She didn't get a response but could feel his fear for her so she knew he had heard her.

Kate was now eyeing the entire area. She was now certain she had seen something or _somethings_ and she guessed that one was Unseelie and the other was Seelie. Or at least she hoped one of them was. She also wondered why the firefighter had been obviously affected but not her.

She was still wandering around when LT caught up to her. "All any of them saw was the flames and they called it in. This is _not_ good ma'am, that was her home. She has memories there." LT felt bad for the little girl.

"Yeah. I'm not sure what we're going to tell her besides the truth. I'm just not sure how to do that. Use your car and do a canvass of the area. Maybe our fire starter is still around here somewhere, watching his work." Kate watched him leave to drive around a little. He was good; if there was someone to be found she was sure LT would find him or her.

"Unseelie," she whispered to herself again.

' _Sam_ _'_ _s asleep in her bed with_ _a very_ _wide_ _-_ _awake Maggie on the floor next to her. What happened?'_ Rick wanted, no, _needed,_ information.

' _Sam's old home is burning to the ground and I think I just saw my first Unseelie as well as another Seelie.'_

Rick was silent for a time. _'Unseelie..._ _Do you_ _think all of this is connected? The gas field explodes and kills her family, just missing her because we had her. Perhaps those two kids who ran down two of ours?_ _'_ His imagination was working overtime.

Kate thought about it and tried to see how it was all connected. The fireman was obviously affected by something. Sam had affected the girls at school and Alexis had said she had seen a sparkle-like effect. The same effect that had been directed at her. But there was something that was bugging her. Something someone had said. She shook her head. It was late and she was tired. It would come to her, she just needed to have a fresh mind.

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Kate dragged herself in through the front door. Rick was waiting for her and enveloped her in his arms. She was dead on her feet and nearly asleep as her husband and his hug held her. "How's Sam," she mumbled into his shoulder. She was still worried about her.

"Sound asleep with Maggie right next to her." Rick was still impressed by their dogs. Each had selected a girl to protect. He wondered what they were going to do when they had two more kids. Did they need three more dogs? Would they be lucky enough to find three more like them?

"What has you so concerned about Sam suddenly?" Rick couldn't wait anymore. He needed an answer.

"I think we have an Unseelie in our town and she's up to no good," Kate replied tiredly then explained what she had seen.

"She sounds nice," Rick snarked, since she was obviously anything but. "So she tracked down where Sam used to live. It doesn't mean she knows where Sam is now," he pointed out.

"No, but all she has to do is watch the school and follow us home," Kate countered. "I'm not losing her, babe, _**I'm not**_ _."_ She wearily lifted her head to look up at him.

"We have contractors all around and Midas and Maggie won't even let them get close. Then there's Alexis, Sam herself, and me. Nothing is going to happen." He was sure they were safe.

"I watched her affect a firefighter who dropped his hose and became a zombie," Kate told him.

"You mean like a real zombie? How cool is that!" Rick was impressed and teasing which earned him a swat to his chest. But Kate was smiling. They were talking about something serious and he found a way to lighten the moment.

"She tried to hit me with whatever that was, but it didn't work." Kate still didn't understand why it hadn't.

"You're a shifter," Rick said simply and that was enough for Kate.

"That's it! That's what Amber said! Something about if Sam became Unseelie she would have terrible power over humans. I'm not just human but a shifter." She had finally figured out what she was missing. It also told her that the Unseelie couldn't affect Alexis, Ava, or her husband. "Amber said they had a civil war. Seelie versus Unseelie. Does that mean they can affect each other?" Kate still was afraid for Sam.

"Perhaps, but why did the Unseelie make us? You said Amber said they had us fight for entertainment. Did we also fight Seelie because the Unseelie couldn't?" Rick was speculating but he had next to nothing to work with. Unfortunately Kate didn't know and it appeared that Amber hadn't told her daughter much.

"I saw a Seelie, I think. It kind of looked like a mini person about the size of Tinker Bell except that it had a tail. I think it was crying. It was right in front of my face." Kate held up her hand to show just how close.

"So Amber and Sam aren't the only ones in this area. Maybe this area is a magnet or a location for when they flee that realm and end up here or near here. Maybe it's a portal from the Fae realm to Earth," Rick offered with nothing to support his idea.

"We need Serena and Joanne. Maybe they know something we don't." Kate hated the idea of relying on someone who wasn't even close but they did have a lot of information it seemed.

"It's late, love," he pointed out. Not that it stopped her from looking for the communication device they had left her. **  
**

"Katherine Rodgers, how may I assist you?" a voice responded. "Serena?" Kate questioned since it didn't sound like her.

"Serena, Joanne, and the others are sleeping. How may I assist you?" Sarah asked again.

"I'm pretty certain that we have an Unseelie and possibly a Seelie in the area. I'm looking for information. I think the Unseelie forced a firefighter to drop his hose and he became totally unresponsive to stimuli. It threw this sparkle-like effect at him and then later at me except it didn't affect me. So how could it hit him and not me and can they attack each other?" Kate was full of questions. Sam was hers now and she was going to protect her no matter what.

"Scanning," the voice answered. "I find that most of what each does is mental in effect. Charm you to be nice, cause you to do things like after being hypnotized among other things as well as create illusions so that you see things or don't see what you should. It appears most of what each side can do affects the mind. I find no mention of why a shifter is not affected.

I will inform Serena and Joanne of your concerns when they wake. They have been talking about paying you a visit, however their new toy, as Serena calls it, has a few bugs that they are working on.

Take care Katherine Rodgers." Sarah ended the call.

"So much for getting help." Kate was not impressed.

"We know they're out there now, so we just keep our eyes open and expect company," Rick said, trying to calm his wife.

"The security system's operational?" Kate questioned since it was his system.

"It is, and with all of the contractors in the area it keeps going off constantly." He had found himself continuously checking it while they were there. Right now it appeared to be useless except after the contractors had left for the day.

Kate had had enough. "Take me to bed, babe." She leaned into him and squealed a bit when her strong husband cradled her in his arms and carried her to their room. He was going to make love to her till all the day's worries slipped away.


	22. Chapter 22

**Evil Eyes 22**

 _E_ _arly July_ _;_ _Kate is now_ _8_ _months pregnant_

Kate found Rick sitting on the sectional in the living room watching the news yet again. He had become obsessed with watching what disaster came next and if it was anywhere near New York. But the news wasn't on her mind as she thrust a piece of paper in his face to get his attention.

Rick took it since she had his attention. "What's this?"

"A list of names."

He looked at what was written there. "Don't I get a say?" Not that he was angry or upset; he was getting a family and that was all he really wanted.

"I'm the one that's pregnant. The one whose feet are swollen. The one whose back is breaking. The one who can't fit into her clothes let alone her bras anymore. I mean look at me, I'm as big as a house." Kate had reached the _I hate this_ part of her pregnancy.

Rick felt sorry about that and he had done his best to ignore her sudden mood swings since she was still wanting sex almost nightly, let alone a little fun in the shower this morning. However,her grumbling while getting dressed had blown into a full blown rant in a heartbeat.

Aileen Azura (Azura, meaning Sky Jewel) Rodgers

Aurelia Amber Rodgers (honoring Sam's grandmother and mother)

The list was amazingly short which told him she had already made up her mind. Though he did like the tribute to Sam's mother even if it was also a color. "They're girls?" Rick looked up at her in shock.

' _SHIT!'_ Kate cursed internally. Rick had told her he wanted to be surprised. She could learn the sex if she wanted but he wanted to be surprised and she had just ruined it for him. "I'm so sorry." She was suddenly downcast. She knew she was blowing up at him in an instant and that it wasn't fair but she couldn't help it. She collapsed down onto the sectional next to him and leaned into him. "Sorry. ...Yes, they're fraternal twin girls." She finally told him what she had been keeping a secret for months. It had been hell keeping it from him.

Rick looked at the really short list again. "I'm detecting a pattern." He huffed out a chuckle which even had Kate giggling.

' _When did I start giggling?'_ She decided to blame her internal Dragon who only growled back at her. _'Dragons don't giggle.'_

"Alexis, Ava, Aileen, and Aurelia." He ran them through his mind. "HEY! We can be the A-Team!" He was suddenly excited and the names didn't matter anymore. Kate just moaned and started wondering if all A names were such a good idea after all. But instead of Rick teasing her or soothing her conscience over what she was thinking, she found herself being kissed. A soul-searching kind of kiss that had her kissing him back as each felt the love of the other being directed at each other.

"The A-Team," Rick murmured into her lips which cause her to giggle again. It tickled!

"Girls are mostly into dolls and tea parties, babe, not guns." She tried her best to dissuade him from this _sobriquet_.

"Says the ex-New York homicide detective turned county sheriff who carries a gun," he retorted. He wasn't giving up that easily.

She simply leaned her head into him. "I'm not teaching our kids how to shoot, Rick," she insisted. "They're going to have nice, less dangerous jobs like a lawyer, doctor, or teacher maybe." Then she had an idea that she just knew her husband would run with. "A rocket scientist, perhaps." She chuckled softly when her husband suddenly sat upright.

"A rocket scientist, one who finally gets us to another planet. We could relocate to another planet in our future!" Oh, he was all over that like white on rice.

' _Fill the planet with_ _D_ _ragons_ _,_ _'_ Kate's Dragon mused since she was now onboard with the idea, too. Kate groaned at what she'd started. _'You forget how long we_ _,_ _our mate_ _,_ _and_ _our_ _children will live_ _,_ _'_ her Dragon reminded her. "Fourteen hundred years on average," Kate whispered to herself softly. That amount of time for her life had never ever even been considered and even today she wasn't thinking very hard about it.

She could feel her Dragon reveling in the idea of a planet filled with Dragons once more. _'We'll see_ _,_ _'_ she replied to her Dragon. Then a thought hit her. _'I'm not having more kids_ _!_ _'_ she told her Dragon who didn't respond. That made Kate groan. Being a Dragon was turning out to be a pain in her... belly, feet, back, breasts, to name a few parts of her anatomy.

Rick had been silent too long so Kate looked up at him and found him glued to the TV again. So she took the remote from him and turned up the volume.

" _Repeating:_ _we have unconfirmed reports from unnamed sources that several aircraft have_ _gone_ _missing_ _from_ _radar screens. All of these planes are located in the corridor between the_ _US_ _and Europe. We are attempting to confirm these reports and have several reporters out to various locations including_ _Naval Station Norfolk,_ _the_ _world's_ _largest_ _n_ _aval_ _b_ _ase_ _,_ _located in Norfolk, Virginia_ _,_ _to determine if the Navy has plans on deploying any ships including an aircraft carrier._

 _On a side note_ _,_ _the Navy is still not talking about the reports of the lo_ _ss of_ _an aircraft carrier in the Indian Ocean. All attempts_ _to_ _obtain_ _information have_ _thus far_ _proven to be fruitless_ _,_ _"_ the female anchor reported just as she was handed something that she quickly scanned.

" _We have just received word that the Pentagon has been closed to all outside personal. Non-military_ _and_ _non-_ _essential p_ _ersonnel_ _are_ _barred from_ _ent_ _ering the facility_ _. In addition_ _,_ _several helicopters appear to be shuttling_ _a number of_ _high_ _up_ _military brass into the building._

 _Please stay tuned to this network for continu_ _ing_ _updates_ _as they_ _become available_ _."_ And they went to commercial. _Liar, Liar_ with Jim Carry, Optima, Garlic Butter Ritz Crackers, Visine for Contacts, , Lifesavers Fusions, Thompsons Water Seal, Lotrimin Ultra, Neosporin, 1-800 Collect, Enterprise Car Rental... Kate took the remote, turned off the TV, then threw it to the far side of the room.

Then an idea hit her, so she reluctantly left her husband's arms and headed upstairs after groaning about the effort to get off the sectional. She shot her husband a look, warning him to keep silent.

Alexis Harper Rodgers' Birthday: September 13, 1993

Ava Lynn Rodgers' Birthday: August 11, 2002

Aidan Edward Lehman's Birthday: March 5, 2003

Samantha Adriel Patinelli's (hopefully soon to be Rodgers) Birthday: November 20, 1992

Satisfied that she had the kids' birthdays all written down for future reference, she decided on a quick nap.

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They had been forced to spend the night in Denver thanks to a number of snafus that had Kate's blood boiling. It was supposed to be _so_ simple. If it hadn't been for Rick's insistence that they bring an overnight bag for everyone just in case, they'd all be wearing yesterday's clothes.

Kate had seen both of them online with her husband but the pictures didn't do justice to either the Fifth Wheel or the truck. The Fifth Wheel felt massive inside compared to their trailer and her mother's motorhome. However, the truck was... well, it was the Cadillac of trucks. Four fold down movie monitors, hot and cold cup holders, chairs that screamed pleasure and comfort. It even had a mini refrigerator that was just big enough to hold a six-pack that Rick instantly filled with juice boxes for the girls. That earned him a quick kiss since she was certain he was going to put his precious honey ale in it.

Still, there she was in the Expedition with only Ava for company as Alexis and Sam had both abandoned her when they found out that the truck came with fold down movie screens. Rick had even stopped and bought them each a new DVD to play on it. _Lilo and Stitch_ , _Ice Age_ , and _The Santa Clause 2_.

"Babe, why three movies? Ava's riding with me and the Expedition doesn't even have a DVD player." Kate was ready to hold him to just the two movies like he had said.

"The third is for Ava when we get home. I'm not going to leave her out, it wouldn't be fair just because she doesn't get to watch while driving." Rick did his best to use his puppy dog eyes to get himself out of his wife's dog house.

Kate hated it when he used that look because she always caved. Plus it was sweet and he was right, Ava wasn't going to get to watch. She let her chin fall to her chest. "Fine." They could afford a third movie. After all, they had just finished spending over 300K. What was another few dollars?

"You okay back there, baby girl?" Kate asked as she sniffed the air. _'Time for a stop_ _,_ _babe. Need to change a_ _stinky_ _diaper.'_ She watched him pull over to the side of the road under a bridge way off the interstate.

She smiled as she watched Rick get out and head her way to help her with Ava. He was such a good father and willing to help with everything. He even did laundry of which they had plenty with three girls. "Are we going to need another washer and dryer with five kids?" Kate suddenly asked out of the blue.

Rick was baffled as to where this came from. How did changing Ava's diaper lead to an extra set of appliances? "We can ask the architect," he replied which satisfied Kate.

They were soon back on the road. _'Doesn't the apartment over the barn have a laundry room?'_ he questioned not much later.

They never did bother the architect over enlarging the laundry room.

Finding room to park the far-too-big rig when they got home proved to be the next challenge. Combined, they were around sixty feet long and Kate felt her mouth fall open after Rick stopped to fill the tanks before driving home. "Two... two..." She couldn't get the numbers out even after looking at the pump. It had a tank on each side so they both pumped diesel, filling up the truck.

She really didn't want to know how far it was to this ranch which was where they were going to start their maiden journey to next week after they stocked the trailer with everything. Literally everything was needed. Cookware, silverware, blankets, sheets and pillows, cleaning supplies, everything that was in the trailer and then some.

They had only just started when an unknown car came up the road which had Kate getting the girls to go back inside the house though they went slowly and then ran for the car the second it stopped.

Kate relaxed when out came Allison and Thompson. "We thought we would help as well as bring our supplies for tomorrow," Thompson explained as he greeted Kate which was followed by Allison quickly hugging her.

"We don't have bedrooms unless you want to use..." Kate was interrupted by Thompson.

"We will be sleeping outside in our Hawk forms tonight and will be ready for tomorrow if we can use your facilities," he explained.

"Of course." Kate would find a way to make two bathrooms work for four adults and three kids. "Your clan has..." She stopped herself since it felt like an insult questioning how a clan of birds would have cars but they weren't always in hawk form like everyone else. She shook her head and escorted them inside.

With their help the task went quickly and they were soon sitting in the living room talking while Rick was in the kitchen fixing dinner. "Can we play in the basement, please?" Sam had shown up with Alexis right behind her.

"Stay away from all of the construction and tools," Kate reminded them.

"Thanks Mom," came from Alexis and they raced each other down the stairs.

"Sam appears to be recovering well from losing her parents," Thompson observed since he hadn't been around either of them as much as Allison had.

"Yeah, we're starting to see the Sam we used to know. She's also gaining some... " Kate searched for the right word.

"Self-worth, willing to stand up for herself, to fight back if the situation calls for it," Allison offered since she had seen a change in how Sam handled herself.

"Yes, for such a frail little thing, she's starting to show some strength, a belief in herself," Kate agreed and was happy for her. "I wonder if it's because she has her tattoo that allows her to achieve her Fae form," Kate speculated.

"She is rather cute and strong-looking at the same time. Her maneuverability is amazing." Thompson was quite impressed. "We have watched her on your last few monthly outings."

"She is growing up. Her mother would be proud of her," Allison added, remembering the frightened little girl that she used to be. "Has she shown any additional powers?" Allison was curious and since was going to be the nanny, she felt she needed to know.

Kate shook her head. "I don't think she knew what she did the first time and I don't think has had cause to try again. It's something we will likely have to work on and try and teach her how to control it." She suddenly huffed. "Control something none of us know anything about."

"Aidan will not be joining us tonight?" Allison questioned. Kate shook her head. "Mom has been forced to stay home for the week since she hasn't been keeping up with her blood pressure medication. The doctor told her to stay home and take her medication or he would admit her. If she doesn't take her medication, she could possibly lose her kidneys which would require dialysis and she'd end up on the transplant list. Both Oscar and I have read her the riot act. Hopefully this time it will sink in." Kate was beyond exasperated with her mother. She had found a man who loved her and had had a baby boy. People worth living for and she was on the verge of losing it all.

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It turned out being near Laramie meant being almost ninety miles from it as they drove into the site. Rick parked to check in and see where they could put the trailer.

Thompson and Allison had gotten the two bucket seats directly behind Rick and Kate while the girls were in the bench seat in the back. They all got to watch the same movie. It turned out there were four screens that all got video from the same player. Rick and Kate were forced to simply listen.

Rick helped Kate get out of the truck as she placed a hand on her still expanding belly. "I'll be glad when I'm not pregnant anymore. I just want these babies born so I can take all this weight off." She didn't intend to whine but it sounded like it just the same. "I can't even see my own feet at this point and I'm just going to get bigger!"

Rick wisely decided to remain silent; he was just happy to have an expanding family.

Checking in was easy enough and they were told where they could park but they had no connections for the trailer as they had been told on the phone. It didn't present a problem since the storage tanks on this trailer were actually larger than on the other trailer. However, they had to learn all new things about this trailer.

Kate saw a sofa calling her just inside the main building which was impressive. It was a lot like home except actually a little smaller, though it had a wall of windows that looked out onto the countryside.

Allison and Thompson protested but Rick and Kate were adamant. They got the room while the Rodgers clan would all sleep out in the trailer. "Besides, all of our clothes are all stored in it already and you two could use the solitude to enjoy the place," Kate told them as Allison's face quickly flamed bright red since what she heard Kate say was, _'Have sex.'_

Allison and Thompson were soon smiling when they entered the room with their luggage. The decor was a lot like what they wanted for their soon-to-be apartment above the RV barn. It was rustic-looking with a huge four poster bed inside a log home.

Allison looked at the brochure she picked up while Thompson put their clothes away. "It says the lodge is 19,000 square feet. They have fishing, kayaking, hiking trails, horseback riding, fire pit, BBQ, Wifi. All meals are served in the main lodge."

"I noticed it has a green valley with mountains on all sides next to a stream and a lake. It might be a nice place to look around later just as it gets dark," Thompson suggested which caused Allison to smile since it meant they would shift into their Hawks and soar skyward just as the sun started to set.

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Ava was with Allison and Thompson while everyone else went horseback riding. They had asked a few questions and had given the girls the gentlest horses they had. Alexis was out in front with Sam right behind her with Kate next, followed by Rick. Their guide was constantly going from front to back answering questions and telling them about the history of the area.

They reached an area that their guide said was a safe place and they actually got the horses up to a trot, not trusting that the girls or even Kate herself would stay on for anything faster. Sam's giggling and laughing told all of them that she was having fun.

The scenery was beautiful with green grass rippling in the breeze, tall trees casting dappled shadows, a sparkling stream, and a good-sized lake. They stopped at the lake so the horses could drink if they wanted. It was there that the old saying came into play. _You can lead a horse to water but_ _you_ _can't make him drink._

Alexis and Sam were extremely talkative during the BBQ which occurred immediately after the late-in-the-day ride. Kate's heart soared as it seemed that Sam was starting to recover from losing her family. "Anything?" Rick leaned in and whispered, not that it was necessary for either of them.

' _I haven't seen her,_ _actually_ _either of them_ _, thankfully_ _. Hopefully neither of them know where we are.'_ Kate knew what he meant. They had both become protective of Sam with a known Unseelie in the area of Newcastle.

After the BBQ there was a late-night marshmallow roast around the fire pit as Alexis and Sam both did their best to keep their eyes open but they were soon fighting huge yawns. "Time for bed you two," Kate said gently.

Moaning and groaning immediately followed. "We're not tired, Mom," Alexis argued as Sam shook her head.

"And that's why you're yawning and can barely keep your eyes open," Kate pointed out. "Let's go, girls. We need to get you both clean before going to bed." Kate stood and took Sam by the hand while Rick literally picked up Alexis and carried her over his shoulder while she shrieked with laughter.

"You can use our bathroom if that will help," Allison offered which was actually a good plan since it saved water and produced less gray water for the Fifth Wheel.

Alexis and Sam were asleep the second their heads hit their pillows and didn't feel the soft kisses Kate gave them. Kate felt Rick's arms slip around her from behind as she lingered over Sam and felt her eyes start to tear.

"You love her," Rick asserted quietly since he could feel her emotions.

"I can't help it. I liked her and cared about her when she was just Alexis's friend. Then she lost her family and my heart broke for her. She's starting to come back, to truly engage in life again and I so want that for her. I want to do what I can for her no matter what it takes." Kate was in deep and she knew it.

"Not just because she's a dragon?" Rick teased which had her softly chuckling.

Kate had only been a Dragon for such a relatively short time. The same amount of time she had met and fallen in love with her husband. It was all still so new to her and she had so much to learn.

' _We're both strong and will do great things_ _,_ _'_ the Dragon that dwelt within her said.


	23. Chapter 23

**Evil Eyes 23**

 _Still at the Water Valley Ranch outside Laramie, Wyoming_

Alexis so wanted to go riding again so Rick went with her while Sam went with Allison and Thompson down to the lake so they could go boating. It was going to be a first for Sam. Her family had never made it to a lake before except to picnic at its shore.

Kate had elected to remain behind with Ava which were both in the main lodge lounging and taking in the view.

Rick was watching his daughter smiling joyfully while they rode a different route when he suddenly felt a twinge of pain. He chalked it up to not riding horses much and started to wonder if this was such a good idea, save for the smile that was on Alexis's face.

It was only a moment later when their guide stopped, took a call, then rode hard over to Rick. He pulled up short. "I've got a call that your wife's been taken to the hospital in Laramie."

"MOM!?" Alexis had been close enough to overhear the conversation. Rick was concerned because Kate hadn't said anything.

"I'm sure she's fine." Rick tried to console his daughter. _'Kate, what's going on? Why are you being taken to the hospital?'_ He was definitely going to give her a piece of his mind for staying silent all this time.

' _It's nothing, they are overreacting to everything. I'm... fine.'_ Kate did her best to reassure him just as she felt a sudden surge of pain. Rick could feel her discomfort through their bond link.

' _Dammit,_ _Kate!'_ He really was going to give her a piece of his mind.

"We need to get back." Rick told their guide who wheeled his mount around, taking a short cut that didn't have the views that the ride was designed to provide. _'Kate, talk to me.'_ She had been quiet too long even though he could still tell that she was uncomfortable.

Then it hit him. _'You're_ _over three weeks_ _early.'_

' _It's nothing, just Brackston Hicks. I'll be fine, nothing to worry about.'_ Except she herself wasn't so sure. Her grunting indicated her pains were coming quicker and stronger and got the driver to drive just a bit faster.

Rick went into the main lodge the moment they got back so he could try and find someone who could give him more information. But what he got was a crying Sam crashing into him. "They took Kate. They said hospital."

Actually Sam was terrified and had half a mind to turn into her Fae form and fly to Kate except she didn't know exactly where they were taking her. Not enough to find her anyway. "Please!" It was all Sam could do but beg; she couldn't lose someone else.

He lifted her up and wiped away the tears. "Kate will be fine." He tried his best to reassure her but Sam didn't believe him and wrapped herself around his neck a little too tight for comfort.

"Please?" she repeated.

"We can watch the girls," Allison offered so that he could follow Kate into Laramie and to the hospital if he wished to do so.

"Dad?" Alexis didn't like the idea of being left behind. Kate was her mother.

"Please?" Sam begged in a whisper, not sure just how to express her feelings or if she was ready to express them. She wasn't ready to say the word but Kate felt like one and she just couldn't lose her too.

"Keep Ava. I'll take these two and I'll phone you when I find out something." Rick leaned down to kiss Ava while Allison held her. Ava didn't look happy but he couldn't handle all three so someone was just going to have to be disappointed. And in this case it was Ava, who he hoped didn't really understand.

"Let's go pack a small bag first," Rick told the older girls as he headed for the Fifth Wheel. He had to help them pack since they started packing too much. Then he packed something for himself. A major difficulty was he only had the truck used to pull the Fifth Wheel.

He had to spend time to move their seats off the bench seat in the back to the bucket seats just behind him and then ran back inside the trailer to find a couple of movies for them. "Dammit!" Rick was forced to run back inside to find Allison. He needed to hand over Ava's food since they were staying in the lodge.

Allison was smiling. "We'll watch the dogs, too." He could have smacked himself in the head. He hadn't even missed Midas and Maggie. He really hoped he could concentrate on getting to the hospital safely since he was obviously losing his mind.

It was just over a two hour drive and it took him through a few small towns where he was forced to slow down to 35 miles per hour along with stopping at traffic lights. All the other traffic was testing his patience. It didn't help that he had to stop for gas once and then again when Sam announced she needed to use the bathroom. "You too, Alexis; we're not stopping again until we reach the hospital." So she followed Sam inside. Rick listened to his own words and went to the men's restroom.

The most unnerving thing about the entire trip was the silence that Alexis and Sam kept the entire way. He peeked into his rearview mirror saw that neither of them were watching the movie. Save for the sound of the video, it was a very quiet trip.

He so wanted to ask her what was going on but he didn't want to worry her or tell her that he was headed for the hospital with Sam and Alexis. If she really was in labor she didn't need the added stress. Though he really did want to be there for her during the birth just he'd been when Ava was born.

It felt like it took forever till he saw Ivinson Memorial Hospital and the sign that said _Emergency._ Rick parked where his big rig would fit which took up several spaces. Then he helped the girls get out and did his best to keep up with them as they all but ran for the front door.

"Where's Mom?" Alexis demanded the moment she made it inside.

"Please?" Sam was ready to break down crying just as Rick caught up to them.

"We're here for Katherine Rodgers. Maternity." He was just as anxious and wasn't really helping Alexis or Sam's fears.

A moment later and the three of them were quickly walking down a hallway following the green line on the floor till Rick saw the sign and stopped at the nurses desk to ask about his wife.

"She's this way," the nurse told them and took them to a room where they found Kate lying on a bed looking uncomfortable.

"MOM!" was what Kate heard simultaneously as two little girls rushed her and did their best to reach her. The mere sound of their voices filled her heart and it sang when she realized Sam had called her _M_ _om._

Seeing their tears only helped to get hers started as Kate looked past them at her husband who looked just as worried. "Apparently I was wrong; it's not Brackston Hicks." she said just as a sudden pain rippled through her as Rick literally felt a ghosting of her pain.

He was ready to read her the riot act except Sam and Alexis were there and they were obviously scared witless. "Kate's fine; she just needs to be alone right now." He tried to draw them away only to have his hands shrugged off by both the girls.

"I'll be fine. It's just time for your baby sisters to arrive and I need time and privacy." Kate reached out to stroke a hand over each of them and wipe away Sam's tears. "I'm not going anywhere, promise. I did just fine having Ava and I will with your sisters, too."

They were interrupted when a nurse came in to do a quick check on her and ask a few questions. "She's doing well; it's just going to take some time." With a smile, she left them.

It was not what Kate wanted to hear. Ava had been relatively quick, if not easy. And while not painless, it hadn't been this bad. These two were turning out to be anything but.

Rick really did want to be there for Kate while she was giving birth to their daughters. However, he had Sam and Alexis with him and they were both quite anxious. And while Sam was quieter, she really wasn't faring any better. Having her wrap herself around him helped tell him that.

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It had been hours. The girls were overwrought, tired, and, he thought, hungry. He had to carry Sam and take Alexis's hand as they went in search of the cafeteria. They needed to try and find something to eat even if it wasn't much. A sandwich or even just some fruit or soup would be enough.

Fortunately the cafeteria had all three so each had a banana, soup and were sharing a sandwich, though both of them were eating slowly. "Kate will be fine. Nothing happened when she had Ava." He did his best yet again to reassure both of them, still a little confused as to why Alexis was acting almost as upset as Sam was.

Finally Rick leaned in closer to Sam and whispered softly so only they could hear him. "Kate's a Dragon, what could happen? I thought you were a brave dragon. Alexis is a brave Bear."

Alexis suddenly was on his side as she put an arm around Sam and scooted in closer to her. He noticed that it did seem to help and he wondered if Alexis was starting to gain a power similar to his hugging power. Whatever it was that she was doing, he would take it.

They were soon back in the waiting room and after a few more hours, Sam and Alexis leaned up against each other and looked to be asleep. Finally a nurse came in and was all set to call out his name until she saw the girls. "You can see your wife when you're ready, Mr. Rodgers." She retreated back the way she came.

Sam and Alexis wasted no time bursting into the room and headed straight for her. Fortunately Kate was still awake and was ready for them. "I'm fine girls, just a little tired." She tried to dissuade any fears even if she was lying a little. She still had pain which she knew would last for a few days.

Alexis had gone through this with Ava, so she was satisfied that her mother was fine. Sam, however, tried her best to hug her as her tears started. "I'm fine sweetheart, truly. I'm not going anywhere." Kate leaned her head down to kiss her head and stroke her long hair which looked like it needed brushing.

She turned her attention to her husband. "Have you seen them yet?" Rick shook his head since he had come straight to her first.

"I'm so very sorry I wasn't there for the delivery like last time, love." He felt he had failed her when she needed him most.

"Don't be, babe. These two needed you more than I did. You should see them, though, they're beautiful." Kate was already deeply in love with her new children. How her heart could be so full of love amazed her. The heartache of losing her father had left her sure her heart was permanently broken until Rick had come into her life.

' _Now we just need two or three more_ _,_ _'_ her Dragon told her. _'Bite your tongue!'_ Kate snapped. She was _not_ having another set of twins. She was seriously considering having her tubes tied! Failing that, she would just have to rely on the tried and true methods of birth control. _'For hundred_ _s of_ _years_ _,_ _'_ her Dragon added, figuring time was on her side. Mathematically, the odds were not in Kate's favor, her Dragon hoped. Kate moaning internally especially since it was a given fact that neither of them could keep their hands off the other for very long.

Eventually Sam calmed down as she watched Kate fall asleep. "You two ready to go see your new sisters?" Rick asked. Alexis nodded enthusiastically even if Sam was less thrilled. Mostly because it meant leaving Kate.

Turned out they didn't get to be too close since both girls were inside Plexiglas enclosures much like Aiden had been. "Are they sick?" Alexis whispered, her heart starting to break. Something was wrong, she just knew it.

"We do it for all premature babies. It's just a precaution and twins are premature half the time. Sometimes there just isn't enough space or nutrients to go around," the nurse told them and saw the look of confusion on their faces. "Food," she amended which seemed to satisfy both of them.

With the nurse gone and no one around, Rick hunched down to their level and drew them both in close. "What do you think? Dragon or Bear?" he questioned and watched their thoughts play across their faces.

"Dragon," Sam stated with conviction. She wanted them to be strong like her. Like her first mother had told her she would be.

Alexis, however, was conflicted. She loved Ava as a Dragon but also wanted another Bear since she was a brave Bear. She could teach them how to be a brave Bear, she knew she could. She simply shrugged her shoulders.

He laughed softly as he kissed each of them on the head. "We'll have to ask Kate which one is Aileen and which one is Aurelia." With his mind on the older girls, he didn't think to try and see the tags on the glass boxes or to ask a nurse.

"Can we go back to Kate now?" Sam asked quietly since they had already been gone too long in her opinion.

"Sure, but she's probably still sleeping and we need to find a hotel soon," Rick replied. He knew that they'd also need supper as well.

Then it hit him. He had to go shopping for car seats for the twins! Since the babies were early, they hadn't brought anything with them and just where was everyone going to sit anyway? Rick groaned to himself, for as big as the truck was, it wasn't that big.

Then he really groaned out loud. They needed baby stuff also since Ava was past this stage and they had nothing in the trailer. "What's wrong Dad?" Alexis had heard him.

"It just occurred to me that we need to do a lot of shopping for our baby girls before they leave the hospital," he said then lowered his chin to his chest. "And clothes for your mom since we didn't bring her anything." He mentally kicked himself. He was usually more prepared than this.

They finally found a nurse and were told that Kate would be there for at least forty-eight hours and the twins would be there longer, possibly a week or more. "Extended stay hotel it is then." Rick huffed out a breath since those were harder to find. Then he kicked himself again. They had the Fifth Wheel! He was losing it, he was sure of it now.

They spent two hours watching Kate sleep till Rick could finally convince the girls to leave the room in search of food. In the end they ended up staying one night at a hotel before driving back to get the Fifth Wheel and to find out what Allison and Thompson wanted to do because of this unexpected turn of events.

"We will rent a car and drive it to Rapid City. Our clan members can meet us there to take us home. We will simply fly over to your place to retrieve our car," Thompson said. Their decision was a foregone conclusion as far as they were concerned. It made sense to Rick so he didn't argue about trying to find space in the truck.

In the end they finished out their three night stay at the Water Valley Ranch and then drove to Laramie where Rick dropped Allison and Thom off so they could rent a car and meet him at the hospital. It also gave him time to find a place for them to stay till the twins were ready to come home with them.

Kate had, of course, asked for her phone so she could call work and inform them of her unexpected maternity leave that arrived a little earlier than was planned.

They ended up parking the Fifth Wheel at the Laramie KOA, 1271 West Baker Street, Laramie, WY 82072.

Allison and Thompson had their rental car and a hotel room since they refused to go home just yet. "When the twins are released you are going to need our help," Allison argued. So they had a simple hotel room that Rick quickly upgraded to a one bedroom suite to give them more space.

Both Allison and Thompson had visited both Kate and the twins. Allison had cooed at them through the glass only to see them continue to sleep. The only times anyone other than the nurses got to touch either of them was when Kate was finally allowed to nurse them in her room.

Kate found herself being a little shy about nursing her twins in the open so she used a receiving blanket to cover herself. "They appear to be doing well," Allison commented. She hoped that the twins would easily adapt to bottles since that was what they would be using after Kate returned to work. Of course the babies would still be fed Kate's breast milk.

Kate could feel each of them latch onto a nipple and suckle till they were done. Once burped, they almost immediately went back to sleep and were put back in their Plexiglas box.

She could see the difference in her littlest girls. Aileen had brown hair much like hers while Aurelia had reddish hair that would probably darken to something more auburn. She could also tell that they were different sizes and different weights. Aileen was first born and was the larger of the two, weighing four pounds, eleven and a half ounces and was eighteen inches long. Aurelia weighed four pounds, nine ounces and was seventeen and three quarter inches long. Aurelia was turning out to be the more demanding nurser of the two. She didn't actually drink more, she simply wanted to nurse more often.

"How are we going to get them home?" Kate asked Rick after the babies were taken away. He and the girls were still in the room with her.

"Already taken care of. We've gone shopping, haven't we girls?" He looked at Alexis and Sam who nodded while grinning huge grins. "We've even got a front to back double baby stroller for them for later when we go to Walt Disney World."

Both Alexis and Sam launched into all that they had planned on doing when they got there which made her smile. She was also happy that they had made plans and had reservations for all of them. The biggest trick was finding space for everyone while staying on Disney property. That way they were hoping to not have to rent car(s) for them all so they could just rely Disney transportation to get around.


	24. Chapter 24

**Evil Eyes 24**

 _It is three weeks after their trip to Water Valley Ranch_

They had taken the twins into work so that all of the women in the office could coo all over them and hold them, it seemed like both at the same time. "You two make such beautiful babies," Rebecca had gushed.

It was then that Kate was brought up to speed on what had been happening, including having Sam's old home removed. Well, the remains of her old home anyway.

While they were there, LT brought their attention to the TV that was on in case there was any new developments in the news. What they all watched was a video that someone had made. It was a little crude and a bit jumpy but what it showed was a giant animated skeleton that was attacking the Statue of Liberty on Liberty Island. The island was actually closer to Jersey than New York.

Greta found her voice first. "What the hell is that thing?" They were all glued to the TV as they watched it breathe a large glob of green goo onto Libertas that cut her in half, causing her to collapse down onto herself.

The video zoomed in and out as whatever it was flew around attacking everyone and everything on the island. What they couldn't thankfully see or hear, were the people that were disintegrated on contact with the green stuff along with those that were bitten in half. They also couldn't hear all of the people screaming as they scattered, running every which way in an attempt to get away from it.

It seemed to last forever and then it flew out into the harbor and dove into the water, leaving devastation and death in its wake. "What the ...heck was that?" Rebecca asked, echoing Grace, catching herself since Alexis and Sam were present.

Kate could feel her Dragon within her growling loudly with hatred. Looking down, she could see both Alexis and Sam glued to the TV but they didn't seem afraid. She was reminded that they had already seen this thing and she smiled since Alexis was showing that she was a brave Bear and not cowering away from what she was seeing. What she saw in Sam had her questioning what the child was thinking.

They didn't get to leave for another hour. The twins were still asleep when they left, not that that would last long since their feeding was coming up soon. Kate was on the phone with the mayor even though it had happened in New York. As mayor, he decided that the city needed to make a statement and assure their citizens that they were safe.

A lot of the conversation was speculation on what that thing was. Thankfully none of them had connected the dots to the sinking of ships or the loss of aircraft.

By the time they made it home, Allison, Thom, Johanna, Oscar, and Aidan had already congregated in the living room as they watched video feeds from TV news helicopters that were broadcasting the complete devastation of the island itself.

However, that video didn't last long as once again all aircraft in the area were grounded. The news quickly started reporting on the thousands of people now stranded in airports in the US and Europe. "It is what I think it is, is it not?" Allison questioned.

"A dead Dragon that isn't dead. My book calls it a Dracolich. A Dragon that died but didn't want to die so it bound its soul to an object. That object allowed it to transfer from dead Dragon to dead Dragon. And since we had a civil war on this planet ages ago, there are a lot of dead Dragons for it to choose from," Kate explained.

"So what is it hoping to accomplish?" Johanna questioned since she didn't see any purpose to it all. "I mean it's dead already so what is it trying to accomplish besides spreading terror?"

"We have an idea about that that we'll discuss later," Rick answered while looking at Alexis and Sam. That got Johanna and Oscar to stop asking questions. Kate took the remote from Rick and turned off the TV. They had seen enough.

' _We need to take the girls' minds off this_ _,_ _babe.'_ Kate didn't want them being glued to the TV and fretting over what they saw.

"Pool tournament, girls," Rick announced abruptly. "Alexis, you're my partner and we're going to kick some... butt." He caught himself as she and Sam raced for the stairs to set up the balls.

"I get Thom," Allison declared with glee since she knew he was the resident pool shark or at least hoped he was. In the end Oscar got Sam since the Rodgers teamed up and announced that they were going to win.

It was fun and having Sam and Alexis really trying hard to win had everyone smiling. Rick ended up scooping out ice cream after driving into town to get the winning team their favorite flavor. "We need more practice," he whispered to his partner who just nodded while smiling with a mouth full of ice cream.

Thom and Allison were smiling widely since they had heard every word. Hawks didn't just have great eyesight but very acute hearing as well which they were counting on when it came to being nannies for the Rodgers family.

Next came a quick self-guided tour of the expansion and build. The contractor was making progress and said he should be done on schedule. The outside walls were all up and had Tyvek wrapping on the outside along with studs for the interior walls. The roof was up though it didn't as yet have any shingles. The septic system was completed.

However it gave everyone a taste of what the apartment above the barn was going to be like. All the open beams and the concrete board on the walls gave them an inkling that the interior walls in the living room were going to have a stone veneer. The fireplace was built on the end of the room and they could see stub-ups for the bathroom.

Everything was exposed in the expansion for them to see. All of the electrical and plumbing. Also none of the windows or doors were installed. The weather was still mild but both places needed to be enclosed in the next few months so the contractor didn't freeze while working on the inside finishes.

"How are you going to get that behemoth in and out?" Johanna questioned Rick while they were outside. Kate snorted and Rick scowled at her. He thought he was getting better at backing up. Johanna had her answer. "That thing really is big," she commented mildly, not wanting to stir things up.

"You've had the tour, Mom; it accommodates all of us save for Allison and Thompson." Kate staunchly defended their choice since they had gotten a lot more use out of than they had planned already.

"We will likely be sleeping outside anyway," Thompson told them. They liked shifting, being in their hawk shapes, and sleeping outside in their avian form.

"So where do you think it went?" Oscar suddenly questioned. After the attack on the Statue of Liberty, the Dracolich had disappeared and hadn't been seen since. The news still talked about it; however, out of sight had become out of mind.

None of them had answers since they had no new information as they watched the contractor doing his work, trying to keep the schedule since no one wanted to be outside working in the dead of winter. Plus they had to pour the driveway before the season changed.

"How goes _your_ renovation and build?" Kate turned the tables on Oscar and her mother.

"The downstairs is actually almost finished since we kept all of the outside walls. Even the one bedroom apartment is almost complete. The barn is enclosed and they're in the finishing phase. We'll be moving in next month just before the contractor comes back and guts the upstairs. With a little luck we'll be done about the same time your place is." Oscar actually held up his hand and crossed his fingers which had Johanna lightly punching his arm.

Seeing that Kate made smile. When she was little it was how her mother kept her father in line. "Oh, I almost forgot to tell you – we have our reservations," Kate informed the two of them.

"We look forward to attending your wedding," Allison said to Johanna. She was already in love with Aidan plus the _'A-Team.'_ She shook her head at Rick's personality since he had not yet let go of that term for his children.

"Still no demonstration on what type of shifters the twins are?" Oscar asked since so far the answer had been no.

"My Dragon is suggesting both girls are Dragons but isn't certain." Even Kate didn't know. She had learned how to detect other shifters from Allison who had told her what to check for, how to feel and interpret what she was feeling. It was still difficult for her but she was learning. She could feel that both were shifters, but like all other shifters, she didn't know just what.

"And our dead Dragon?" Oscar changed topics since it looked like it might affect their family, possibly.

Rick shook his head. "It dove into the Atlantic and hasn't been seen again." It was all the news knew. Airlines were flying again and shipping was coming and going though the US Navy had deployed an aircraft carrier approximately two hundred miles off the coast of New York.

What the public didn't know was that it was running continuous patrols by jets and helicopters along with high tech patrol planes that were flying up and down the east coast. What the news showed was the cleanup that was going on on Liberty Island.

The public was demanding answers. There was speculation on what would be built to replace the Statue of Liberty much like there was still talk about what was going to replace the twin towers.

Rick picked up the house phone after two rings and listened for a moment before handing Kate the phone. "It's Lanie," he told her as a smile blossomed on her face.

"Hey Lanes!" Kate was happy to get off the negative topic of dead Dragons and dead people.

"Girlfriend, I owe you and that husband of yours! We put a deposit on the venue Rick found for us. The drawback is the only acceptable opening is in the dead of winter next year." Lanie wasn't a fan of that part. Just getting Javi to propose had been a monumental event. Getting him to go through with their wedding six months from now might be pushing things.

"Where?" Kate inquired and looked up at her husband since it appeared as though he was keeping secrets from her. She was definitely going to bend his ear for that.

"Devils Tower!" Lanie was excited about the location. Thankfully they had an inside venue for them to use that still had the tower in the background, likely with snow on the ground.

"Devils Tower." Kate glared at her husband who retreated to the kitchen to get drinks for everyone. "Give us the exact date and we'll make plans. Are you still joining us for our trip to Disney?" Kate had asked them and the Ryans if they wanted to join them.

"Javi and my time-off requests have been approved and we have hotel and airline reservations for the same hotel. We'll meet you there. I'm dying to see your twins. Twins? Really, Kate! I was amazed that you had the first one let alone twins." Lanie was almost sure her best friend was going to be single for her entire life, never mind having kids.

Kate smiled widely. Her life now was nothing like what she had seen in her future, especially after her father died. If anyone had asked her if she would live anywhere but New York City she would have laughed. "The Ryans said they're coming, too. It'll be good to have the gang all in one place again." She really did want to see all of them again.

She was already on maternity leave and had the wedding for her mother and Oscar to go to soon, so it was looking to be a busy rest of the year. "Gotta go girl. Thank that husband of yours." Lanie would kiss him when she got her hands on him.

"Devils Tower during winter next year for a wedding." Kate would have preferred it be outside during summer.

"It should be lovely. Virgin snow on the ground in Wyoming can have its own beauty." Allison didn't discount the location or timing. "Access, however, may prove a challenge."

"We have months to decide how best to get there and where to stay." Kate was sure her husband had already worked on that. She counted her blessings that he was so good at creating plans for their family. "Something on your mind, Sam?" Kate could see that she was antsy for some reason.

"I feel bad," she announced. Johanna and Allison were next to her in a heartbeat, checking her over.

"She's not feverish," Johanna said.

Allison took another tack even if both possibilities for a shifter didn't usually happen. "Does your tummy hurt, sweetie?" They were usually far too healthy to contract diseases the afflicted normal humans.

But Sam just shook her head. "I feel bad," she repeated just as the security system sounded an alert that it had detected an intruder. Rick ran out of the kitchen to look at the monitor.

"Section C4, way out past the swing set," he reported since they most likely didn't know where the section was. "Now D4, it's moving this way and fast. F4 is the swing set," he clarified and ran for the stairs while unbuttoning his shirt. Oscar, Allison, and Thompson were right behind him, doing the same thing.

"Sam and Alexis, you two stay here. Midas, Maggie, guard," Kate commanded and was satisfied that they knew their job as each canine took a girl to stand next to while they scanned the area. "We may need to try and find three more dogs." Kate wondered if their luck was that good.

"Maybe something other than Dobermans," Johanna suggested. Kate decided to leave it to Rick and his research to find them three more dogs with similar personalities and could be trained to do the same thing.

They moved over to the wall of glass and looked out into the darkness. Kate feared for Rick a little since bears had poor eyesight in the first place, and it was night.

Still they all saw a huge Bear loping quickly across the ground with a gray and black Horse rapidly gaining on him. What neither saw were a pair of Hawks flying hard, fast, and high.

They all had their eyes trained outside till they all heard _'Unseelie.'_ They twisted their heads to look just as Midas and Maggie started barking madly. Both dogs dove for the tiny being that had a tail which promptly started flitting all over the place, only to disappear into the glass.

Johanna found her voice first. "Was that..."

"A Seelie," Kate confirmed. _'It's an_ _U_ _nseelie_ _,_ _babe_ _,_ _'_ she warned her husband but didn't get a response. So she turned to the girls. "Strip and shift you two. You're stronger in your other form. Be brave but stay here."

Johanna moved over to the monitor to see what it said. "It says E4 now," she called out and lifted her head to see Kate with a Bear and a mini dragon whose six wings were flapping madly while hovering in place. She and Oscar had been told about Sam being able to transform, but this was the first time she had seen Sam the dragon. As far as Johanna was concerned, it was shifting since that was what she understood even though her daughter had called it Fae.

' _Babe?'_ Kate needed to know what he saw.

Rick had spotted it and had increased his speed with the intent of crashing into it, however he found he was being overtaken by a Horse. _'Damn he's fast.'_ Rick was impressed with Oscar's speed. Still, before either of them reached what they both saw, a Red-tailed Hawk came swooping down at unbelievable speed and took a swipe at the creature. It cried out and they both watched as something sparkly shot from it and stuck the bird.

That was a mistake. The being took its eyes off of Oscar and Rick just as Oscar increased his speed just a little and slammed his chest straight into it which sent it tumbling.

That action was enough for Rick as he reached it just as it righted itself. He opened his mouth wide and bit down hard as it wailed in pain. He tasted its blood as he hit the brakes.

Johanna, Kate, Alexis, Sam, and especially the dogs all cringed as their ears were assaulted by a high-pitched scream. _'_ _ **BABE!**_ _'_ Kate's fear was transmitted straight to Rick who felt it but was too absorbed by ripping this thing to pieces to answer.

Rick spat what he had bitten out onto the ground, planted a huge paw on it, and reached down to bite it even harder yet again. He was rewarded with the taste of blood in his mouth as he listened to it scream once more.

Johanna was all set to rejoin Kate and the others when the monitor started beeping again. "It says D2, wherever that is," Johanna called out and kept watching the monitor.

' _D2, babe_ _;_ _there may be another one_ _,_ _'_ Kate warned as he lifted his head to look that way but saw nothing. Still he had one under his paw that wasn't getting away. He bent down and sniffed it and could easily smell the scent of death on it which told him he had killed it.

"E2," Johanna called out.

' _E2 now, babe, you have another and it's headed your way.'_ Kate began thinking maybe she should run outside and strip to help them.

What no one saw was the Grey Hawk diving at incredible speed at the second being. He raked his talons over the top of its head, causing it to shriek in agony. As the last time, everyone including those inside the house cringed at the sound as it assaulted their ears. Midas and Maggie were whimpering from the pain.

What Rick, Oscar, and the others couldn't see was the other Hawk diving for the second intruder only to miss it as the target had turned back and was swiftly flying across the ground, hugging it closely. This tactic was the primary reason Allison had missed since she couldn't risk slamming into the ground because she had taken a bad angle unlike her fiancé.

Thompson and Allison both circled the area where they had lost it till they flew back to Rick and Oscar who were standing over the bloody, tiny body of an odd girl with a far too big head and really big dark eyes that were presently closed.

Allison landed and shifted to her human form. "The other one has gone. We should get this one back to the house and contact Serena. Thompson will warn our clan." Allison then lifted her head skyward and screeched before looking back down at the tiny frame lying broken and bloody on the ground.


	25. Chapter 25

**Evil Eyes 25**

Oscar was still shaking his head as he put on his clothes after making it back to the house. Allison was a beautiful young woman and seeing her naked after shifting into a human so she could talk to them had been... Well, it had been hard to avert his eyes from her body. Thompson Grey was one lucky guy.

Kate and Johanna had tried to keep Alexis and Sam upstairs but they had both raced down the stairs as soon as they saw them coming back. Besides Sam was impossible to catch and didn't listen when Kate yelled at her to stay up there when she reached the stairs.

Kate sighed and Johanna simply smiled since Kate was getting what she had given her when she was little. "What goes around comes around," she thought.

Rick, Oscar, and Allison were either dressed or wearing a robe as they looked over the beaten and bloody body that Rick had carried back in his mouth. "Is this what you saw?" Rick asked her.

Kate shook her head. "The one I saw was just as small with the same big head, but the dress is different, the wings are different and this one has blonde hair." Oscar sighed heavily.

They now knew that there was more than one. "And the one that was inside?" Johanna questioned, looking at Kate.

Hearing that, Rick snapped his head up, looking at Kate. She had failed to mention that there had been a Fae inside their home. _'We are so going to talk about this later_ _,_ _'_ he rumbled. However, she just ignored him.

"The Seelie... It looked like the same one. It warned us that it was an Unseelie," Kate related.

"It was tiny with wings and a tail and was just as fast as Sam here," Johanna mentioned while looking at Sam who only had eyes for the dead Unseelie lying on the floor.

"Unseelie," the little blond whispered softly. Was this what she would have turned into if Kate hadn't finished her tattoo? She moved over to Kate and wrapped herself around Kate's leg. Her mother had warned her about Unseelie. That they were bad, truly evil beings.

"What we need is for Lanie to examine the body but I'm not sure that's such a good idea," Kate said. After all, Lanie was the state Medical Examiner and her best friend, but she also had no idea shifters even existed let alone Fae.

"What about your shifter-friendly OB/GYN over in Rapid City?" Rick wondered. That got Kate thinking.

"We could try her," she agreed.

"We will wait for Thompson and our clan leader, Hayley. She may know someone closer and more capable," Allison countered since she had faith that their clan leader would know what to do.

Unfortunately, it was at this time that their security system started beeping. "Is there an entire army of these things?" Rick was exasperated. His family was at risk and he had about had it with all these evil people trying to harm those he loved.

He ran for the door, throwing off his robe and shifting before loping off into the night, not really knowing just where to go. Allison, who was also in a robe, was right behind him while Oscar ran upstairs to look at the monitor.

"E4!" Oscar yelled down the stairs knowing that Kate would pass that on to Rick through their link. She also began to remove her clothes.

"You two stay inside." She looked sternly at Alexis and Sam and was satisfied when Johanna wrapped an arm around each of them, holding them in place.

Kate didn't concern herself with the fact that if either of them really wanted to escape there was nothing her mother could do to stop them. Even at her age, Alexis was more powerful than a human and Sam couldn't even be touched, let alone forced to do anything.

Kate finished shedding her clothes once outside and ran for the swing set where she saw her husband. She was far enough out that she could risk shifting if needs be. However she saw a naked Thompson along with naked woman standing not far from her husband.

Kate was secure in herself and what she looked like even though she was still carrying some baby weight. She still needed to watch what she ate and use the exercise room a little more to get the rest of it off, and being naked in front of people took will power. But this was serious so she sucked it up and strode over to stand next to her giant bear of a husband. She stopped next to his head and wrapped an arm around his neck as best she could. "Thompson?" It also didn't escape her notice that there were another three Red-tailed Hawks sitting on the swing set.

Thompson made the introductions. "This is our clan leader, Hayley Diarse. This is Rick and Kate Rodgers."

"It is a pleasure to finally meet you, Katherine Rodgers, Wyvern leader. We are happy to serve the Wyvern leader. Perhaps before I leave this earth I will get to see you in your Dragon form. I am told it is beautiful." Hayley bowed her head slightly in recognition of her power and standing.

Kate had never thought of herself as a leader, however, her Dragon was practically preening with pride. "I'm told you have a dead Unseelie in your possession. If I may see it please?" Hayley formally asked for permission.

"This way. ...Your friends are welcome to come with you." Kate didn't want her to feel naked without her support.

"You have my thanks." She inclined her head slightly and continued, "but they will be circling the area in search of the other Unseelie that may still be in the area." Hayley lifted an arm and the three on the swing set took off in different directions. "You may join them Thompson." She was satisfied when a naked Thompson took off running only to turn into a Hawk in mid-stride.

"Let's take a look at this Unseelie, shall we?" Hayley motioned for Kate and Rick to go first. It was, after all, their home and their property.

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Hayley was gone though Thompson and Allison had remained. She had never seen anything like it though she had asked a number of questions so that she could better understand the situation as they saw it.

"Just how big is your clan" Rick was curious since his father had never mentioned any other shifter compounds in the area. Allison and Thompson smiled since it also told them that they had been successful in remaining hidden from prying eyes.

"Not as large as your Kodiak community but large enough." Allison wanted to keep their secrets.

Rick did his best to mimic one of the glares Kate gave him but she didn't expand on what she had said. "What do we do with it?" Rick asked since it was going to begin to stink up the place as it decayed. His sensitive nose could already scent the stench of death.

"Bag it and put it in a cooler. We may need it later," Kate replied. She had no idea just what that use would be but you didn't just get rid of something if it might prove useful down the road. So Rick did his best to seal up the body in plastic, wrapping it with practically all the packing tape he had.

In the end it looked more like a ball of tape. They had two freezers, the main one being downstairs. It used to be in the garage but was now in the exercise room so that was where they put it. Kate had put her foot down. "Lanie always said a cooler not freezer but there's no way in hell that I'm putting that thing in our refrigerator."

Rick and Oscar excused themselves to shower and get cleaned up. "So there's another one," Johanna remarked worriedly. She didn't like the thought of those things in the first place.

"Rick speculates that Newcastle is a magnet for them or one of the sites between their world and ours. A sort of portal, " Kate said as she wondered just how many Unseelies were there in their world. Plus just who was the Seelie that kept showing up? And both kinds of Fae now knew where they were located.

"They found us." A shiver of fear for Sam's safety as well as her family buzzed up her spine. Alexis and even Sam could possibly fight back to protect themselves. However, Ava and especially her twins were not old enough to even begin to have the ability to defend themselves.

Rick had felt it while still in the shower. _'Run or stay?'_ he asked somberly and got an immediate response from his wife.

' _We stay._ _This is our home and no one drives_ _us_ _out of_ _our_ _own home. Certainly not a pair of tiny_ _U_ _nseelies_ _,_ _'_ she tartly informed him which made him smile. A lot of women would hide under the bed or run till they couldn't run anymore. Kate was the exact opposite.

' _Best wife ever!'_ Rick sent his feelings of love for her as she smiled softly. Johanna looked questioningly at her.

Kate explained. "I can feel Rick, not just talk to him."

Now Johanna understood. "I'm still adjusting to talking to Oscar and hearing him without actually talking to him." Jo had to admit that it had its benefits and was well worth having two strangers watch the two of them make love to each other several times.

Both Rick and Oscar were finally back downstairs with Allison and Thompson. Sam, Alexis, and the dogs were missing and since Rick could hear billiard balls cracking together as he came down the stairs, he knew where those two were.

Allison handed the communication device to Kate as a hint that it was time. Kate wasn't sure what to say or even what to ask. Still she took it and activated it. Joanne responded almost immediately. "What can I do to help you, Kate."

"We've had an encounter with an Unseelie. ...Well a pair of them actually, and what we take to be a Seelie today as well as a few weeks ago."

"Sarah told us about your call to ask questions about the Unseelie. We are presently in the planning phase of coming to you. We just need to work out a few details along with what to bring. We would have been there sooner but our new _TOY_ has had some issues. Though it has allowed us both some time to get used to it," Joanne said.

"So you're coming to us," Kate stated and looked around the room.

"We are aware you have construction going on. The news that the Unseelie have found you gives us cause for concern as to just where to land and keep our aircraft safe. It's something we need to talk about. Give us about a week and we'll be there. Take care, Kate." Joanne ended the call.

"Okay, so we have a week. Hopefully they'll have some information for us," Kate said as her thoughts raced. Where would they put everyone? "We don't have enough space. You two are down to one bedroom, Mom, so using your place is out. We can put Alexis and Sam in the same room for now to give you and Thom space, Allison." She stopped when Allison and Thompson began shaking their heads.

Allison spoke up. "No, ma'am. We will be sleeping outside, likely with members of our clan." That news opened up a bedroom for Serena and Joanne.

"We have the Fifth Wheel if anyone needs it. I just need to fill the tanks. I can do that tomorrow," Rick added, knowing that it was just outside sitting off to one side waiting for the barn to be finished.

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Meanwhile, a few miles outside of Sedona, Arizona.

"Was that Kate and Rick?" Serena walked into the bedroom, gave Joanne a quick kiss, then headed for the bathroom with Joanne following her.

"They have a pair of Unseelie in their area. Kate _sounded_ concerned though it's hard to tell with her." For Joanne, Kate was difficult to read. She chalked it up to her having been a homicide detective in New York. Though even when she first met her she had been quite impressed with her.

"Two?" Serena responded as she removed her top with the intent of taking a shower. "That doesn't sound good. Still what Sarah told us tends to indicate that they can't affect shifters." Serena reached back to unhook her bra, freeing her breasts, then unfastened her pants.

Joanne, however, remained silent. Serena looked at her as she let her pants drop, leaving her clad only in her panties. "What?" Serena saw the look on her face that Joanne was giving her.

"You're not a shifter." Joanne's fear for the person she loved most was displayed all over her face. She expressed her worst fear. "If Sarah's right, they can wield magic that can affect your mind."

Serena walked over to her and wrapped her arms around her love. "Then it's a good thing I'm in love with a shifter and have shifter friends to keep me safe." Serena tried to soothe her fears and then kissed her. She turned what she had planned as being a light kiss into a soul-searching kiss.

It left both of them breathless as they just stood there holding each other. Serena dusted a light kiss on her lips. "Let me get clean first while you and the team start loading. Take the two air units and all of the heavy hitters we have along with all of our camping gear in case we need it." She let go of her and stripped off her panties.

"I can call them back and ask where we can land and stay," Joanne countered, since if they didn't take the camping gear it would clear up space for something else.

Serena hated imposing on them. She had asked a lot of the Rodgers already. "All right. See what they have to say. I'll help you finish after I'm clean and dressed." Serena walked back over to her and gave her a quick kiss before stepping into the shower.

Joanne was finally smiling as she hurried over to the communication device to contact Kate.

It was only thirty minutes later when Serena joined them to help load up. "They say we can have their spare bedroom since they're putting Sam and Alexis in the same room. Our team can use their Fifth Wheel," Joanne relayed. "They have a Fifth Wheel now?" Serena hadn't heard that.

"Kate gave birth to twins a few weeks ago and they needed the space." Joanne was smiling wide.

"TWINS?" Serena stopped what she was doing to stare at the love of her life. "Really? Twins... Twin Dragons?" Serena started beaming as she asked her question.

"They don't know yet. Oh, and they're girls," Joanne added.

Serena chuckled. "Rick's surrounded by women." She was sure he loved it. Not another male in sight.

"He would," Joanne agreed with a chortle.

"Okay, skip loading the camping equipment. Let's get finished and out of here. We need to stop in Rapid City to fill our tanks before heading to the Rodgers house," Serena informed them.

Only an hour later and they were already thirty minutes into their flight for Rapid City. "Think we can help?" Joanne questioned Serena as they flew. Joanne voiced her concern over just what they could use to hit a dead Dragon that refused to die.

"The main gun might get in a few shots." They had gone over this before. The bullets might just pass straight through without hitting anything. "It's why we loaded all the camera missiles we have. You just need to hit something vital with them." They had both agreed that something dead might not show up for infrared missiles like the sidewinders. They also had a fear that the radar missiles wouldn't see anything either.

Joanne looked at one of her screens. She made a mental note of what was mounted now. They could change their minds and make a change later if they thought it would help. It was the flight team that she had concerns for. They were a little slow. The ground team was their heavy hitters.

"You really think that thing is going to show up?" Joanne questioned her yet again.

"Even more so with the news of there being Unseelies in the area. My money is that there are more than those two and one or more are already on their way to inform it, whatever it is." Serena had her beliefs and had convinced Joanne and their friends of it. It was why they were flying to Newcastle now.

The big question was were they going to have the time to deploy and get off the ground. This fight might end quickly if they got caught on the ground. "Four Dragons," Joanne whispered and Serena smiled.

Four Dragons would mean the future would be very interesting. Very interesting, indeed.


	26. Chapter 26

**Evil Eyes 26**

Almost all of the Rodgers clan plus Allison were in the living room watching a movie. It was _The Santa Claus 2,_ the DVD that Rick had bought for Ava during the trip back from Denver after getting their Fifth Wheel and the new truck. While it was too early for Christmas, it was perfect for Christmas in the summer and it was proving to be an entertaining movie.

Kate leaned into her husband. "My money is on that you've already started shopping for Christmas presents." She smiled and kissed his cheek. Even though Rick didn't respond, the slight smile he was fighting gave her her answer. _'I love you.'_ She knew she had sent him her feelings of love countless times. Regardless, everyone who was in a relationship longed to hear the words.

Now Rick was smiling as well as he turned his head. _'I love you_ _,_ _too.'_ He chose to actually kiss her. But his kiss was interrupted when a new noise from outside started and quickly increased in volume.

It had everyone's attention just as it seemed to move directly over the house from front to back. Kate had one twin while Allison had the other who suddenly woke up to the noise. Everyone quickly found out just what kind of shifter both twins were.

The women exclaimed at the twins' sudden change and the little pain that they caused as each small Dragon jumped to the floor and ran to the wall of windows hissing. _'_ _They're_ _Dragons!'_ Kate's inner Dragon trumpeted joyfully.

Aileen turned out to be the single Chinese Dragon in Kate's family history according to the book. She was already long and sinuous with no wings which caused Kate to wonder if she could even fly.

Aurelia, however, was rather golden in color. _'Brass_ _,_ _'_ Kate's Dragon informed her. _'Good or_ _evil_ _?'_ she questioned. _'Good.'_ She was so relieved and grateful to know that since there were evil Dragons in her family history.

It had already flown over the house and they could see it spinning tightly to face the house out past the swing set off to one side. "Oh, crap!" Rick had spotted that it was heavily armed. Hearing Rick caused Kate to take a closer look. She truly considered shifting into a Dragon right where she was. She didn't have the time to strip or to even run downstairs and outside first. It would seriously damage the house but it might just save her family.

As they watched, it slowly descended and carefully set down. "Not attacking?" Rick questioned as he himself was considering what he could do to defend his family. "You don't suppose...?" He suddenly had a thought. _'Serena?'_ he asked his wife.

' _We_ _ **were**_ _told that she had a new toy.'_ Kate remembered it now that her husband had asked his question. Both of them fervently hoped it was. "It doesn't look like what she had before," Kate commented aloud.

This one didn't have wings with engines on the end with a large center belly. This one was maybe just as long but a lot thinner, though it did have stubby wings on each side that each had several missiles mounted on them. Plus there was a large gun hanging under the chin. It was the blades at the tail that made it different looking from any other helicopter.

They could hear it powering down which had the adults breathing again since a helicopter wasn't usually used to attack with while sitting on the ground. "Serena." Allison recognized her immediately the moment she stepped out thanks to her Hawk eyesight.

"Joanne," Allison added when the other door opened. But when the main door opened and out came four more people, the questions started mounting. "I do not recognize them," Allison warned.

"You can see them?" All Rick saw was people with helmets clad in black combat gear. Allison smiled.

Two Hawks sailed in. One landed on the swing set while the other swooped in and landed directly in front of Serena. "Thom." Allison relaxed completely.

Soon they saw a naked male standing in front of her and they talked for a short time before he ran off and shifted back into a Hawk as the other one flew off with him. "What did he say?" Kate questioned Allison; these two were now bonded after just getting back from the procedure.

"Serena has brought a team to help defend your family. She has great fears. Thom is flying off to consult with our leader and ask for assistance from the other shifters in the area," she explained. The two of them were still a little shocked at being able to hear the other while not anywhere even close.

"There are others?" Kate was greatly surprised. Just how many shifters were in this area, let alone planet-wide?

"Hayley and our Red-tailed Hawks, Damian Aquila and his Golden Eagles, Stephen Cathartes and his Turkey Vultures, Lance Lynx and his Bobcats. The others are not nearly our size and are few in numbers. However, they were willing to help combat Paladin so they may be willing to help now." Allison was hoping they would. Her clan wasn't that big or that powerful.

Kate bent down to talk to her little Chinese Dragon, her sweet baby Aileen. "It's safe, little one; you can shift back and let us protect you. Please, honey." She noticed Allison was doing the same for Aurelia.

Rick took Aurelia from her. "I will get the diaper bag," Allison said and went in search of it so baby girls could be re-diapered.

The group then met Serena, Joanne, and the others just outside the door leading to the backyard. "By the look on your faces, it would seem that our arrival was unexpected." Serena was pretty sure they knew they were coming. It was why they didn't load the camping gear.

"We were expecting your other..." Kate didn't remember what to call it.

"It was an Osprey. We traded it in for this one. It took a little time to adapt to it and it had a few bugs that needed to be worked out. We won't interfere with your upcoming trip and we'll remain behind to guard the place." Serena had been told they would be leaving to attend her mother's wedding.

"You're welcome to come," Kate suddenly announced since Serena and Joanne had become friends. But both of them shook their heads.

"Allow me to introduce our team," Serena said. "This is Kimberly and her mate, Miles. This is Jessica and her mate, Mark. Kimberly and Miles are our airborne group while Jessica and Mark are our heavy weapons ground group."

"Airborne?" Kate questioned. She could feel that everyone save for Serena were shifters. "Birds?" Kate watched the four smile softly telling her that she had guessed wrong.

"They're part of our Mountain Lion family," Joanne explained. They wondered how Mountain Lions could be airborne. Still they had little reason to doubt Serena or Joanne.

"It's late and the twins really need to be in bed like these two should be," Kate said firmly, hearing moans from Alexis and Sam. They had company and they wanted to know more.

"We'll be here for a number of days or longer. You'll see us in the morning." Joanne reached out to stroke the girls' hair.

Kimberly and Jessica were the last ones to go inside. "We look forward to seeing you in your Dragon shape. A real live Wyvern." Kimberly was dying to see just what Kate looked like.

"Just not in combat, naturally," Jessica added hastily. "Airborne?" Kate asked Kimberly. "Something I trust you will never have to see, but yes, airborne." Kimberly grinned at her confusion.

Miles and Mark ran back out the the helicopter to get everyone's bags while the others joined everyone in the living room. Allison did her job. She picked up Ava to get her ready for bed and shooed Alexis and Sam to their room while Kate took care of the twins. Allison would check on the girls once Ava was down for the night.

"You think something is coming," Rick said grimly then drew in a shaky breath, knowing they wouldn't be here if they didn't.

Serena nodded. "We've talked about it and unfortunately, we do. I've sent warnings to every shifter group in the area including Andrea and the Kodiak Bear community. Most will be acting more as scouts and monitoring the area rather than being involved in direct combat."

"And you think you can actually do damage to something that's already dead?" Rick didn't see how they were going to combat it if, and it had been a big if, it came their way. Until now.

"We have weapons that we think will work and we've got a plan. Provided that we get enough warning so that we're not caught on the ground. I trust where we landed is good?" Serena couldn't help but notice the expansion and addition.

"You're fine. The contractor's mostly working on the buildings themselves now and is done with any site upgrades. They'll be enclosing the buildings soon so that they can heat it once the weather cools down and work on the interior while finishing the exterior.

It won't be until after the new year that they'll finish and then the furniture will come, provided that the snow doesn't delay them," Rick explained.

"You four want to get set up in the trailer or wait?" Serena gave them a choice. The four of them looked at each other. "We'll stay," Kimberly answered.

"I'll get the wine and glasses then." Rick went to the kitchen and came back with glasses to hand out before returning with two opened bottles and began pouring.

Kate was back first. "You really think we are in trouble?" she asked as she accepted her glass of wine from her husband and kissed his cheek. Joanne pulled out a small flash drive and Rick got up to get his laptop and connect it to the TV.

"Paladin may be gone but we still have our network from which to get information," Serena said as Rick handed his laptop to Joanne who started bringing up pictures.

"That's her!" Kate announced at the sight of the first photo. "That's the Unseelie that I saw who was burning down Sam's old home. She caused the fireman to just freeze and completely shutdown mentally and physically. He totally checked out."

The pictures continued as Allison joined them and picked up her glass of wine and just watched.

"It appears to be making its way east," Allison remarked as she recognized some of the terrain.

"Correct; we lost it just outside Boston. We are hoping to pick it up again when it reaches the coast where we have teams on the lookout for her. Our theory is that she is headed for the Dracolich to give it your location. What it does with that information is yet to be determined.

Will it come directly here? Or does it continue its campaign of terror?" This had been the topic of conversation she and her friends had been having for days. Those were the top two options they could come up with.

"It's me..." Kate leaned into her husband and gladly accepted his arm around her in a mini Bear hug.

"Unfortunately, yes. Why you, we think is obvious. What it hopes to achieve might also be obvious or perhaps it has ulterior motives," Serena added.

"Finish the Draconic civil war," Rick suggested. Serena and Joanne nodded in agreement.

"The battle of good versus evil will likely last until time itself ends, if even then," Serena commented. "Our main problem is how to kill something that's already dead?"

"Rick has a thought about that," Kate said which got the attention of the new arrivals.

He began explaining his idea about the phylactery that would hold the dead Dragon's soul so the creature could just transfer it's essence into another dead Dragon's body and keep on living, such as it was.

"Interesting theory," Joanne mused. "If that's the case, how do we find whatever this thing is?" The blank looks she got back from Kate, Rick and Allison gave her her answer, which was not good.

"We solve one problem at a time," Serena said as she finished her wine. "Kill this one and figure out how to kill it again should it return."

Kate had checked on Alexis and Sam after Allison had joined Thompson outside for the night. Serena and Joanne went to their room, and the other four went outside to the Fifth Wheel and settled in.

Kate was happy that both dogs were watching over the two girls and looked alert. It was likely to be a long night since she would be up and down all night to nurse the twins.

She slid into bed naked next to her husband. "Now what?" She wanted his advice and his thoughts.

"We go to your mother and Oscar's wedding in two days just as planned. We have hotel reservations so we can take the Expedition or the truck." Rick knew they only really had two choices.

"Or Allison and Thompson follow us in their car," Kate added since they now had five kids that would just barely fit in the Expedition, not leaving much room for luggage. "Or my Jeep since I'm not sure I trust that car they're using." She didn't hate their car but it looked well used and she was concerned about possible break downs.

"Jeep it is, then." Rick knew they had offered its use as part of their job. "We can take the truck since it has fold down screens to keep Alexis and Sam happy," he suggested. Kate made a face, aggravated since that thing got horrible gas mileage. She hoped it would improve since they wouldn't be pulling the Fifth Wheel.

She snuggled in close and kissed some exposed skin. "I love you," she said softly and felt his love for her wash over her heart which brought a tear to her eye.

"I love you, too, so very, very much," he vowed as she kissed his skin again and sent him her eternal love.

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Kate and Allison looked tired after they loaded the truck with luggage and kids. "They going to be alright?" Thompson questioned Rick as they put the last of everything into the Jeep.

"They're finding out what it is like to deal with five girls, two which need to be nursed every two hours, one of whom isn't taking to being supplemented with formula." Aurelia had proven to be far more picky than Ava had been and wanted nothing to do with formula.

"Oh, one more thing," Rick suddenly remembered. He went into the kitchen to get juice boxes and put them into the mini fridge inside the truck. "Time to see if we can get those two on the road." He chuckled a little and Thompson smiled.

An hour into the drive with only about thirty minutes left in their trip, Rick glanced over at Kate. She was leaning up against the door with her head against the window, fast asleep. A quick look in the rearview mirror told him that all of the girls looked to be doing fine.

Alexis and Sam were entertained by their movie, their eyes practically glued to their drop down screens. Ava was wide awake and looking everywhere while Aurelia and Aileen were asleep.

"God, I hope those two don't up and shift on us during the wedding," he whispered to himself.

"I certainly hope not," Kate murmured softly, never moving from her spot.

' _Okay, so not asleep.'_ Rick didn't mind if she was.

' _Just resting. I just hope they don't decide to get hungry while_ _M_ _om is saying "I do."'_ That made Rick chuckle.

He followed the GPS directions and found a place to park, leaving everyone in the truck while he went inside to find their rooms at the Best Western Devils Tower Inn. It was one of the better motels that Rick could find close to the site. It did, however, mean that they needed more than one room since all the rooms mostly had two queen beds in the same room. They had packed portable bassinets for the twins so they just needed beds for the adults, Alexis, Sam, Ava, Allison, and Thompson.

"We have two rooms that look like they are across the hall from each other. They're on the ground floor," Rick announced since Allison and Thompson had joined everyone at the truck.

It took work to get all the kids and all the gear into the two rooms. Kate was just sitting down on one of the beds when her cell phone rang. She was just thinking of calling her mother to find out where they were. Except the caller ID showed someone else's name. "Hi Lanie." She was glad to hear from her.

"Hi, girlfriend. What room are you in?" was her first question which had Kate perplexed, so she simply answered with their room number.

"Why?" Kate asked.

"Because we're curious," Lanie responded. Kate was still at a loss to understand. Then there was a knock at their door that Rick jumped up to answer.

"Hi, Rick." Lanie walked right past him, heading straight for Kate while Alexis and Sam were testing the bed.

"Aunt Lanie!" Alexis was happy to see her.

"Lanie? What are you doing here?" Kate was really confused now. They had talked and she didn't have the time off to come to her mother's wedding since they would all be going to Disney for a week in a few months.

"I don't have the time off, so if I get a case I have to run, but here I am." Lanie spread her arms wide before wrapping them around Kate and hugging her hard. Kate squeezed her back, happy that she was here.

"Kevin, Jenny, and Sarah Grace?" Did she hit the jackpot or just get lucky?

Lanie shook her head. "Kev has a case and can't make it. Jenny wanted to come alone but he talked her out of it. Javi doesn't have a case, but like me he may get a call and we'll have to run and drive like crazy." It was a three hour drive if the traffic was good.

"I'm so glad you two could make it! I'm sure Mom will be glad to see you, too," Kate said.

"And you're okay with her marrying Oscar?" Lanie needed to hear it from her.

"Yes, why?" Kate raised an eyebrow and looked at her as if the question was a dumb question.

"Just checking." Lanie relaxed. "So what is there to eat around here?"

"We only just got here so I don't know. ...Babe, where's lunch?" Kate trusted that her husband had everything all planned out since she had no clue.

"We need to go into town though choices are slim," he answered as he sat down between Sam and Alexis, attempting to tickle both at the same time. They squealed and ran to hide behind Alexis's Uncle Javi.

Sam was introduced to Lanie and Javi since she had never seen them before that she could remember. Still hearing that they were old friends of Kate seemed to satisfy her.

In the end they all ended up at the _Ponderosa Cafe and Bar._ Kate glared at him simply for the name. Still the bar was actually separate from the dining room and the inside did sort of remind her of the Ponderosa ranch house from the old TV series, _Bonanza_ _._

It wasn't true dining and looked a lot more like pub food, but Sam and Alexis were happy to get a burger and fries with a glass of milk. Kate noticed her husband had ordered a double cheeseburger while she had chose a club sandwich with fries and a strawberry shake that she ended up sharing with Alexis and Sam.

Lanie had glared at Javi for ordering what had to be their biggest burger. She watched him open his mouth wide to try and take a bite out of it while the juices dribbled down his chin. "Men," she snorted.

"And yet we love them," Kate countered which neither Lanie nor Allison could deny.

"Shall we go look where you two are going to get married? See if it meets your approval?" Kate asked her since they would be back here just over a year from now, but in the dead of winter and inside instead of outside.


	27. Chapter 27

**Evil Eyes 27**

"Will you hold _still_ Mom!" Kate was doing her best to help her mother get into her dress but Johanna kept fidgeting. Kate had peeked at Johanna's wedding dress when she was a teenager and it was lovely. A delicate lace top with a ballgown skirt that she had liked. This one was very much different.

A western theme with horses had called for a different style. The only thing missing were her cowboy boots that her mother had refused to wear. Kate wondered just what Oscar was going to be wearing.

"There," Kate said with satisfaction after finally getting everything in place as she stood back to look her over. "You're gorgeous, Mom." Kate placed her hands over her mouth and tried mightily not to cry. Johanna was a vision of loveliness in a blush gown with a lace bodice and long, fitted, lace sleeves. The skirt was a soft silk that glided from her waist down to the floor. She looked every inch a queen.

Oscar made her mother happy and she had a baby brother which still amazed her. He was just a little older than her twins. How crazy was that?

Kate stepped in and tried to adjust the shoulders just a little, and then checked her mom's hair. "Will you stop fussing, I _have_ done this before, you know." Johanna gently removed her daughter's hand.

"Sorry. ...It's just that my mother is getting married. I've only ever seen the photos from when you married Dad. This is the only time I'll be able to see you get married," Kate said defensively. Seeing photos and being a part of it were two different things.

"I remember your wedding like it was yesterday. You were the most beautiful bride in the world." Johanna moved a step and hugged her daughter tightly in an attempted to calm her jitters and to keep from crying.

"I'm going to go check on Alexis and Sam, so don't move," Kate warned her as she left her mother to cope her own nerves.

It was almost time and Kate, Allison, Lance, Javi, and Thom were all sitting up front. It was only then that Kate saw what Oscar was wearing. He looked amazing in his black jacket and slacks. He had a white shirt with a vibrant, dark red vest and a western bolo tie that had an ebony slide, long, black leather strings, and sterling silver aglets. That and his black Stetson made him look very handsome.

She could hear as everyone drew in a breath. She looked down the short aisle to see what came first since she had only worked on her mother. She clapped a hand over her mouth as she watched Midas and Maggie come into view right next to Alexis and Sam.

Midas had what she could only describe as a doggie tux, complete with his own bolo tie around his neck. He looked so handsome. Alexis and Sam were already lovely in her eyes, and while she had seen them earlier, this was different.

Maggie had what she thought was a more feminine version of what Midas was wearing. Both dogs walked all the way to Kate and sat down in front of Sam and Alexis who took their seats on either side of Kate. She gave both girls a quick kiss.

The wedding march played but it had a more western sound to it – guitars and banjos – then all eyes turned to see her mother being escorted by Rick who was also wearing a western style suit. She had no idea where he had gotten it. She wasn't sure it was something she wanted to see him in often but he still looked very handsome.

Kate was wiping her eyes as she watched her mother, who looked nervous, be escorted down the aisle straight to Oscar. Rick lifted her hand and kissed it then gave her hand to the man who held her heart. He left the couple in front of the officiant and sat down on the other side of Alexis.

Kate took a quick look at Aileen and Aurelia who were still sleeping next to Allison and Thompson. They wouldn't remember even if they were awake and watching. She was relieved that they weren't making a fuss.

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Kate was munching on a small snack while helping Alexis and Sam find something they would like to eat when Lanie showed up and gave her a quick hug. "I'm sorry but duty calls and we have to go. If Javi's fast enough I won't be too late," Lanie said apologetically.

"I'm sorry, Lanie. I wish you didn't have to go." Kate knew she had to leave, work was work after all, but she hadn't gotten to spend that much time with her.

"We'll meet you in Orlando in a few months. An entire week. So long that you'll get tired of me," Lanie teased.

"Like that would ever happen," Kate countered and hugged her friend again before watching her walk off and join Javi as they hurried out the door.

Rick was suddenly next to her. "They're leaving?"

"She got a call and they have to race for home," Kate replied with a sigh.

"I guess murders anywhere never stop. Hopefully this one is just a dead body. That doesn't really help, does it." Rick heard the words after he said them and they weren't really what he wanted to say.

Kate shook her head. "Where are Midas and Maggie?" She hadn't seen them since the wedding.

"I took them outside so they could do their thing and then left them in our room," Rick said.

"Those two were amazing. You did good job finding them something to wear." She was impressed by them let alone the entire ceremony. Except for the western vibe, everything else had been simple and classic.

"What's all the commotion?" Rick saw people leaving and there was a lot of talking that they couldn't make out. Kate shrugged and watched till Oscar came over.

"You two should come," he urged and followed the others.

It wasn't easy but most of them were gathered around a small TV that was showing a newscast.

" _Once again we have reports of several ships being attacked in the Great Lakes. Shipping and pleasure boats combined. All reports point to the_ _all bone, skeletal_ _monster that destroyed the Statue of Liberty several weeks ago. The Coast Guard_ _,_ _which_ _has a small presence in_ _the area_ _,_ _has been alerted. We are also receiving reports that aircraft are being_ _grounded_ _in and around the area of the Great Lakes._

 _We have no word yet on what actions the Air Force is planning_ _to_ _tak_ _e_ _, however it_ _'_ _s safe to say that the Navy will not be involved_ _at_ _this time. We are sending reporters to various sites to try and obtain information on what_ _'_ _s_ _happening_ _. We have no additional_ _information_ _at this time."_ They began repeating the same information, telling everyone the same thing all over again.

Not long after, all of them including Alexis and Sam were off in a secluded corner. Oscar grimly stated the obvious. "It's headed this way."

Kate nodded. "It's likely being helped by that Unseelie that Serena, Joanne, and their friends had spotted earlier," she commented.

"An Unseelie?" Johanna questioned since Rick, Kate and the others had not updated her and Oscar regarding their theory of the Unseelie moving out to the Atlantic.

"I'll explain later, Mom." Kate tried to delay getting into it.

"You'll explain _now,_ Katie. You're not too old for me to ground you." Johanna knew she actually was but it was all she had left.

It took close to a half hour to explain everything to Johanna and Oscar. Four hours later as darkness fell, Rick, Kate, Allison, Thompson, and the girls were all loaded into the truck and the Jeep and journeyed home so they could plan what to do.

Allison had made a call to warn Serena about what was happening only to find out they already knew, as well as to inform them that they were driving back tonight. "We'll be expecting you. What about the babies and the girls?" Serena didn't want them hurt anymore than anyone else did.

"Ava and the twins, as well as myself and Thom, will be stopping at the Kodiak compound to stay with Andrea. It seems like the safest place. There is still discussion on what to do with Alexis and Sam. So far those two are being very stubborn and have actually threatened to run away and go home should they be made to come with us." Allison couldn't believe it. The two girls had always seemed so timid.

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Kate didn't like it but there they were, home with just her, her husband, the older girls, plus Serena and her group. She had tried everything she could think of to get the girls to stay with Andrea who had also tried to persuade them to stay. They just wouldn't listen and had put up a fight which was so unlike either of them.

Serena had actually pulled Kate to one side and questioned why the girls were there. "If I'm right, this isn't going to be safe. I have no idea how to kill something that's already dead."

It didn't help that they didn't know when or even where the fight was going to happen. Still it meant they could take the girls to school and out of the way during the day. Kate's heart pounded with worry each time they were dropped off at school. Were they safe there? Would they be safer at home?

Kate was still on maternity leave and only called into work once a day to get an update. She and Rick also watched Serena and her team start unloading equipment from their helicopter. There was so much that she wondered where Serena's team members had sat on the way there.

They were all sitting in the living room eating snacks that Rick had placed on the coffee table when Serena's phone beeped at her. After listening for just a moment. "Sarah says we should turn on the TV." Rick reached for the remote.

Even though it wasn't on ZNN, it didn't matter. The national broadcasting companies had broken live into local programming. Every station was showing a helicopter feed of the Dracolich physically attacking the workers that were doing the cleanup from the latest attack that took place earlier in addition to it spitting green acid which instantly disintegrated anyone it touched.

"It hasn't left the area yet. Interesting," Serena commented as they watched transfixed.

Suddenly the Dracolich headed straight for the cameraman who never wavered. The video feed abruptly ended. It took a few moments for the station to switch to the newsroom, showing a shocked and devastated news anchor who took a moment to collect herself before she began talking.

" _We have reports that the Air Force is responding and that a pair of fighter_ _jets_ _have been launched from a local air_ _force base_ _. We are attempting to get reporters to a number of areas._

 _I'm told we have a feed from a news team that is now located on the docks that look out onto the river."_ The feed was from reporter David DeRoos and a cameraman on location.

" _As you can see it is still airborne and appears to be attacking other news helicopters that are in the area."_ The cameraman zoomed in on the action just in time to catch it using a bony wing to cut the tail off a helicopter as he followed it spinning out of control until it crashed into the river.

" _It does not appear to be heading back out to the lake this time_ _,_ _"_ he reported as the cameraman picked up its location as it flew into the heart of Chicago.

"Where are Alexis and Sam?" Kate started looking around. She was quite concerned for their safety plus they didn't need to be watching this. "Playing pool last I saw them," Allison responded which calmed Kate a little.

The cameraman soon lost sight of the Dragon and it went back to the news anchor who did her best to keep up with reports that rapidly came in from various locations.

" _We have a team that is located near the_ _n_ _aval base in Norfolk, Virginia. What can you tell us_ _, David_ _?"_

" _We are seeing a lot of activity as cars and truck are driving everywhere quickly. There_ _'_ _s also an increase of small boat activity going from the shore to various ships. ...We are noticing a number of ships are now spewing smoke from their stacks. Likely getting ready to get underway._

 _Last we knew_ _,_ _the Dwight D. Eisenhower was still stationed a number of miles off the_ _e_ _ast_ _c_ _oast along with their compl_ _e_ _ment of support ships._

 _For those of you that don't know, an aircraft carrier_ _,_ _when in port and not due for deployment_ _,_ _does not carry any of its aircraft. Those are all stationed in a nearby air base. Typically the carrier will put to sea where its aircraft will join it._

 _As we can see the only carriers that are presently in port are Marine support ships that carry far fewer aircraft than a Nimitz class carrier like the Dwight D. Eisenhower. Also the Marines use_ _H_ _arrier_ _J_ _ump_ _J_ _ets instead of the F/A-18_ _H_ _ornets._

 _We can now see a number of helicopters in the air_ _,_ _some of which appear to be going out to sea. It would appear that the US Navy is attempting to respond to this threat."_ The station returned to their news anchor who soon handed reporting off to someone who began to again speculate on what this creature was based on what it looked like.

Kate took the remote from Rick and turned the TV off. If the girls came upstairs, she didn't want them seeing this.

Serena pull her phone back out. "I need an estimated flight time from Chicago to Newcastle, Wyoming," she said to whoever was on the other end. "Thanks Sarah. Have our friends start keeping their eyes open. I want to know when it starts heading this way." Serena ended the call and noticed the looks she was getting.

"Best estimate since we don't know its speed, is six hours. That's assuming that it left right now and can fly the same speed as a commercial airline." She passed Sarah's information along. "How are we looking?" Serena directed her question to her friends.

"The single WVRAAM system ( **W** ithin **V** isual **R** ange **A** ir to **A** ir **M** issile system) is set up and in place. We only have the two missiles that are attached, plus we only have the two 5 gallon jerry cans to power the generator for the computer for launching so we don't have long. They're capable of being guided to target thanks to the video cameras in the nose.

We also have our two Stinger missile systems, one for each of us. After that we need to rely on the single mini-gun and the few thousand rounds that we brought with us. In addition, we managed to squeeze in a couple of those old LAW Rockets if it gets close enough." He had actually held them in his lap to find the space.

"The fans and the chutes are spread out ready for takeoff. Just need to hope that there's enough wind or it could be difficult to get very high, let alone get off the ground. The mini rockets are lying in their cases next to each unit, plus our weapons that are belt fed from the box." Fortunately they now had video confirmation of how poor its maneuverability actually was. It helped since theirs was equally poor.

"Chutes?" Serena didn't want them free-falling to the ground.

"Part of our suits," he confirmed. "I have no desire to be disintegrated by green goo."

"If we can get it on the ground we can gang up on it," Jessica added, hoping against hope that four large Mountain Lions could do some serious damage.

"I can maybe help with those little jerry cans. Take the Jeep and get some cans and fill them with gas," Rick offered since it looked like there was little he could do.

However, Mark shook his head. "We only have a system to transfer from two containers."

Rick thought about it for a minute. "And if they were larger and held more gas, would that work?" He wasn't willing to give up. Mark looked at Jessica and the two appeared to silently talk to each other.

"It would keep us operational a little longer. Maybe be able to pick when we fire one off instead of simply fire and hope for the best."

Hearing that, Rick got up off the sectional next to his wife. "Be right back." He was out the door and headed for town.

Kate was unwilling to lose her family; there were so many she cared about now. _'We will rip it to pieces!'_ her Dragon within roared in an attempt to build her confidence that they could handle this thing. _'I love our family too, especially now that it consists of three_ _baby_ _D_ _ragon_ _s_ _.'_

Three hours later after getting help from the guys, they had two 20 gallon plastic containers filled with fuel connected instead of the two 5 gallon jerry cans. "I never knew gas could weigh that much." Rick had actually done most of the carrying since everyone quickly found out just how strong he was.

The guys were in the showers while Kate went in search of Alexis and Sam to get them dressed for tonight. Allison intercepted her on the stairs. "Have you pumped lately?" Kate groaned, turned around, and went back upstairs to their bedroom so she could pump breast milk for her twins.

oXo

They pulled up outside _AFTER DARK_ and parked the three cars they had used _._ It was getting late, almost too late for Alexis and Sam to be up.

"Hello, Mr. Rodgers. Just give us one minute to put your tables together," the hostess told him.

"Oooo, cookies." Jessica leaned down, looking into the display case that was up front. "Some of those are going home with me," she announced gleefully.

Sam tugged on Kate's dress. She smiled down at her. "Yes, we'll get you some too." Kate stroked her hair and bent to kiss her head.

"She's changed you," Joanne whispered to her softly. This Kate was very different from the one she met when her mother had been killed and stuffed into her own safe.

"Yes, she has." Kate looked at Alexis and Sam. "I wouldn't change a thing even if I could. Serena's been good for you, too, I think," she remarked.

Joanne glanced over at the love of her life who was off whispering with their friends. "She healed my broken heart. I'm so glad I found her and wasn't afraid to fall in love with her. It's what's likely to come that has me worried. She's not a shifter." Joanne had great fear that that Unseelie would do something to her.

"I have the feeling that she knows how to handle herself." Kate meant dealing with the Dragon, however.

"Oscar!" Kate saw him approach their large table set up. "My mother's here, isn't she." She made it a statement instead of a question. She just knew her mother.

"For a few hours till I drive her home myself, yes. Someone told her that you had a reservation and she wanted to cook for you," he said, his hands up in a "what can I do" gesture. "We had to get a babysitter just for tonight."

"And her medication?" Kate watched as he tapped the bottle in his inside coat pocket. She sighed in relief. Oscar really was good for her mom. He knew she would never call him Dad, but that was fine with both of them.

"What's good here?" Mark inquired as he looked at the fancy backlit menu that this place had.

"Everything," Rick quickly replied while Kate smiled at him.

"You two know what you want?" Kate directed her question at Alexis and Sam who both nodded. She hoped they'd selected something from the kids menu.

"It looks like Mom's added something new to the menu." Kate found it, not that she wanted it, but she didn't recognize it from the last time they'd been there.

Serena and Joanne were impressed when they each asked a question and found their hostess handing over her pad for them to see the picture and read the description.

"This is a high tech restaurant, Kate," Serena remarked. None of the restaurants she had been to in Sedona had this technology.

"Oscar took care of everything. He and his firm designed all of it." Kate waved her hand to encompass the entire building. "It used to be a Wendy's restaurant," she explained. All of them looked around trying to see the Wendy's. Even the exterior, not just the interior, looked nothing like a burger place. The place screamed class and good food, not fast food.

Joanne voiced a concern. "It doesn't seem to be busy, though."

Rick looked at his watch. "That will change very shortly." They were early for dinner but still a bit late for little girls to be up.

Sure enough just as they were being served their appetizers, the front door opened and in poured a lot of older people. The bus from the Mount Rushmore tour had arrived, and soon the place was busy and had gotten louder with all the people chatting.

So far Oscar was happy with the profit the restaurant was generating. Johanna was still on track to have a six figure salary by the end of the year.


	28. Chapter 28

**Evil Eyes 28**

Allison parked the Jeep out front and with her cargo in hand, went to the front door. She found it open and someone waiting for her. "I have..." She was interrupted before she could finish.

"This way." He was short and brisk, very business-like. She disliked him instantly.

He took her all the way upstairs to the bedrooms where she found Andrea and one other person busy feeding the twins with Ava not far away, watching. It looked like robots were doing the job and it upset her so much that she made a spur-of-the-moment decision, desperately hoping it was the right one.

"I am here to take the twins and Ava home with me," Allison said firmly. She even managed to say it without a quaver in her voice. She was going to take them home even though her bag was filled with bottles of Kate's milk. Allison noticed Ava immediately started clapping her hands together at this announcement.

Only thirty minutes later Allison was leaving the Kodiak Bear compound's main house and headed down the hill. She really hoped Kate and the others would approve of her actions after she explained what she saw and felt. They might be safe from the dead Dragon there, but they weren't truly safe or better off.

The entire episode had changed her mind about Andrea. She might have been perfect for the community but she cared nothing for children. Allison hadn't even bothered to ask if she had any children; her actions had told her all she needed to know.

Allison pulled up near the house where she found Alexis and Sam out front playing on the new concrete driveway and turn around. It was essentially a large circle that allowed you to turn around and go back down the drive, to go into the new main garage, or to continue on to the RV barn.

She didn't know what was going to go in the center but it was still not finished so it could be anything. "Hi Alli. Why do you have Ava?" Alexis joined her at the Jeep with Sam right behind her.

"And the babies," Sam added as she looked past her into the back of the Jeep.

"Can you two take Ava from me while I carry the twins?" Allison asked them and watched happy, smiling heads nod enthusiastically.

Alexis was the larger and stronger of the two so she was actually the one carrying Ava while they waited for Allison to get both babies and their car seats before they walked into the house.

Kate was coming down the stairs with new bottles of milk just as the front door opened. What she saw caused her heart to soar as did her Dragon's. It wasn't until she saw her children that she knew just how much she missed them.

She gave Sam the baby bottles as she took Aurelia from Allison. She covered her with kisses and whispered sweet words to her.

"I could not leave them with Andrea, _I could_ _not_ _._ _"_ The anguish she felt was apparent in her words. "That house has no love in it except maybe for love of the community and power." Allison wondered if Andrea would become another Jackson Hunt.

Kate heard the words but they didn't register; all she knew was that her children were home.

Even Midas and Maggie perked up and were jumping all over the place with an occasional bark. Kate was soon sitting on the sectional with Allison and all of her children with Midas and Maggie sticking their noses into everyone. The babies and Ava had new smells that needed to be checked out.

The noise drew Serena and Joanne out of their bedroom upstairs. They stopped at the railing to look down into the living room. "Not the Kate Beckett I remember from a few years ago in New York," Joanne commented quietly as she reveled in the love that she witnessed.

Serena nodded in agreement. "She looks good like this. She's in a place she was always meant to be."

"Surrounded by Dragons?" Joanne said as she laughed softly and Serena snorted.

"We can always adopt, you know," Serena added as she turned her head to look at Joanne. Her face lit up and she promptly kissed Serena. With Paladin dead and hopefully defeating the Dracolich soon, maybe a family was next for them.

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Neither Kate or Rick ever actually questioned why Allison did what she did. Everyone just went about their roles in the house. Everything was quiet save for the continued sound of construction. Serena with Joanne seemed to always be fiddling with the helicopter while the others kept checking all of the equipment that had been spread out.

Sam and Alexis were out back playing on the swing set and having fun while Jessica watched off to one side. That was until Alexis coaxed her onto one of the swings.

Kate was holding Aileen while looking out the wall of windows onto the backyard, watching Alexis and Sam play when a pair of strong arms wrapped around her from behind. She leaned back into them. "Sam seems to be doing well," Rick remarked with a pleased tone in his voice.

Kate's heart instantly opened wide. "She called me Mom once," she confided. But Sam had never done it again. She couldn't help but wonder why.

"When you were in the hospital. ...I heard her, just never said anything to you about it. Do you think it was because she was so afraid she would lose you? She seemed really frightened when you had been taken to the hospital." He could still hear the echo of her pleading voice.

"And we might have a fight with a dead Dragon that won't die headed this way." He didn't like the risks that were probably coming.

"She loses us, either of us, and it might destroy her." Kate was always prepared for the possibility of dying because of her job, but to die because of a dead Dragon?

"Then we make sure it doesn't happen. We need you, love. The twins need you, Alexis needs you, Ava needs you, Sam needs you. I need you. What do I know about being a Dragon?" Rick buried his face in her hair and breathed in her scent.

Kate spun around while still holding Aileen, raised up on tippy-toes, and kissed him. "I'm not going anywhere, babe, and neither are you." She had learned to think positive and not dwell on the bullet that might never come. She simply prepared for it and didn't let it shadow her life.

"Uh oh," Rick remarked. Kate turned back around and saw Serena and Joanne running for the house while Jessica jumped off the swings and ran to catch up. "Trouble."

Rick had been right. They all listened to Sarah explain that their dead Dragon was sinking ships in the Great Lakes again. Both commercial and private. Big or small, it didn't matter.

After the second attack on Liberty Island, the country was filled with a mix of fear and outrage. They had what was touted to be the largest and most powerful military on the planet and yet this _**thing, this monster**_ was going where it wanted and doing what it wanted.

"The Army will never catch up unless it lingers in one place long enough," Mark pointed out. "The Navy's out of it now save for the Marines, their Harriers, and maybe a few Apaches."

"Just leaves the Air Force and after that budget cutting by closing bases all across the country, they're spread thin," Jessica added. "Add the fact that the brass is in love with speed for their fighters, they have nothing to attack something low and slow." She shook her head at some of the shortsightedness of the military brass.

"We're next." Kate's voice held a mixture of dread and anxiety. Mostly she was just ready to get it over with. She wanted – no _needed_ – to protect her family, vanquish this creature, and get back to living her life.

"We may have a few weeks yet," Miles said suddenly. "It knows where we are and yet it chose to attack ships on the Great Lakes. That tells us it is trying to spread terror instead of flying straight here. It might even be trying to draw you out into a one-on-one fight. Get you away from any support, which is quite smart actually." The tactic made sense to him.

It was something that Kate was actually thinking of. Go there for the fight instead of waiting and risking her family. She even worried for Rick, as big and powerful as he was.

But Rick knew what she was thinking because of their bond. He decided to issue a threat as he caged Kate with his arms. _'You do_ _t_ _hat and I'll divorce you_ _then_ _live a life of celibacy with the girls.'_ She looked at him, a little shocked.

' _For better or worse. Not just words_ _,_ _'_ he reminded her. _'I meant every word of my_ _vow to you.'_ Kate blinked back tears as she felt love for her husband and leaned towards him to give him a quick kiss.

She made her decision and hoped it was the right one.

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It was only a few days later and Rick with Joanne as shotgun, was driving into town to do some shopping. Having six extra people to feed meant they went through groceries quickly.

"You and your friends didn't have to come." Rick didn't think it was their fight. They didn't have to be involved.

"We think we do. Serena didn't create our network just to combat Paladin. Every shifter deserves a life free from risk. Whether that risk be the government who wants to study us or a dead Dragon. Just because the head of Paladin is dead doesn't mean there isn't still risk. Someone who's willing to take his place and revive their hatred of our kind. There are still teams out there that worked for Paladin.

We're fighting for our future, too. Not just yours and your family's." Joanne knew what she was fighting for.

Rick could only think of one thing to say. "Thanks."

They filled four carts with food; Rick had to fold down the rear seats to fit it all into the vehicle. They also stopped to get the propane tanks for the Fifth Wheel filled since they had been cooking inside it, too.

While having to feed six more people, it also meant the Expedition got emptied that much faster when they made it home. Soon all of the refrigerators and freezers were full to the point of having things fall out when the door was opened.

That night everyone was out back doing a BBQ while Alexis and Sam played cards as a team against Jessica and Mark. The girls were very proud when they won while Jessica and Mark softly grumbled.

Kate smiled while watching them. Right up to the point when the baby monitor announced that at least one of the twins was awake. She and Allison went up to find out what they needed.

Only Allison returned. "Kate needed to pump," she explained after seeing the questioning look on RIck's face. He turned back to cooking.

Serena's phone pinged her. "Yes, Sarah." Serena put it on speaker for all to hear.

"I have monitored a wing of F-15s that have attacked the Dracolich over the Great Lakes. All four planes were lost. Each complained that their weapons seemed to have little to no affect on it," Sarah reported. "They were out of Scott Air Force Base in Illinois. It is primarily an air command base that specializes in air transportation. It is likely that they do not have additional combat aircraft to send," she added.

"Thanks Sarah. Keep your eyes on the site. Let us know of any new developments." Serena ended the call.

"Sounds like we have time," Miles commented.

Kate and Allison put Alexis and Sam to bed later that night and kissed each. Going back downstairs they found everyone sitting around the TV that was filled with nothing but what had happened in the Great Lakes. What they weren't talking about was the loss of the F-15s.

"They _will_ find out eventually," Serena remarked.

"The Navy has yet to admit that they lost an aircraft carrier," Kate countered as she sat down and leaned into her husband, just as the baby monitor announced that someone was awake.

"I will go. Remain here, please," Allison said and went upstairs followed by Thompson.

Kate chose to relax and let Rick wrap an arm around her. _'Hiring those two was our best idea yet_ _,_ _'_ she said to Rick who squeezed her a little tighter.

"What are the chances that they'll kill it?" She still had her mind on the dead Dragon. "It sank an aircraft carrier, a number of other military warships, and now it took down four fighters." She was hoping for good news. The silence she got in return answered her question.

' _We will crush it!'_ Her Dragon was not backing down. Kate needed to believe in herself and her capabilities. _Their_ capabilities.

Joanne changed the topic. " _AFTER DARK_ tomorrow?"

"Go get more cookies? Count me in," Jessica commented with a grin which had the others chuckling softly at her. Mark kissed her head.

"Are you two...?" Kate pointed at the four of them only to watch them shake their heads.

"We know about the bonding procedure. We just haven't decided on doing it yet," Kimberly replied to her question. It was mostly because she didn't yet have a ring on her finger. The moment she did she was going to drag him down there, even if they had to make love to each other in front of a stadium full of strangers for weeks.

She glared at him, hoping she finally had his attention. Kate chuckled internally as she watched Miles start to sweat. _'Might want to take him into town tomorrow, babe, and help him_ _find_ _an engagement ring_ _,_ _'_ she suggested to her husband who chuckled back at her. _'Maybe both the guys.'_ She didn't see a ring on Jessica's hand either. Rick knew just where to take them, too, and began making plans on how to get the guys to come with him.

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Rick talked her into it even though she wasn't certain it was a good idea. Still here everyone was, including their guests, who simply wanted to see. Or maybe join in.

"Show them how it's done, pumpkin." Rick looked at Alexis who dropped her robe, shifted into a Bear, then took off with Midas and Maggie hot on her heels. "We'll try and take it easy on you," Rick grinned and his robe fell to the ground. A moment later he was an amazing specimen of a Kodiak Bear that was far bigger than most of them had ever seen or imagined.

They watched him lope off after the others. This was followed by Kate placing Ava on the ground and removing her robe. Ava didn't need to be told anymore. She quickly shifted into a lovely Amethyst Dragon who promptly growled softly and took off running while flapping her wings. They could see that she was actually airborne till she had cleared the trees and was out of sight.

Kate beamed with pride. All those lessons and attempts had finally paid off. "Show them what you can do Sam," she urged as they all watched Sam. Her robe slipped away, the air shimmered and suddenly there was a tiny purple dragon zooming all around them. Just watching her made them dizzy before she took off after the others at an amazing speed.

"So that's what she looks like," Serena commented as she stood there and looked where Sam had gone. "Sort of a miniature Ava except for the wings."

"The rest of you are free to join us if you please." Kate looked at the others and began running to get far enough away. She lost her robe along the way and the next thing the onlookers knew, there was a massive Amethyst Dragon bounding up into the air, pumping its wings hard to gain altitude.

"MY GOD!" Kimberly had been told the stories and had actually looked up pictures of dragons, but to see a live Dragon with her own eyes... that was something else. She and the others mostly stood there gaping at her overwhelmingly majestic presence until she couldn't be seen anymore.

"You're sure you're good with this?" Joanne asked Serena once again. "I may be human but I'm not going to stop you from having fun. I love you. Just make sure you come back." Serena hugged Joanne and kissed her.

"Let's find out what this Rodgers family is capable of," Joanne said and took a deep breath. Her robe fluttered away as she shifted into a Mountain Lion then ran after everyone else. She was soon followed by Kimberly, Miles, Jessica, and Mark who shifted into their Mountain Lions and took off running.

Serena, Allison, and Thom stayed behind and looked after the twins who began to squirm. "Not just yet, honey. One day soon you will be out there having just as much fun," Allison cooed into Aileen's ear as Thompson did something similar to settle Aurelia.

The shifters were long gone and out of sight so the others went back inside and turned on the news to see how the country was handling the news that a dead Dragon that was wreaking havoc on their country. Even though to the news it was simply flying bones. So far no one had made the connection to it being a Dragon.

Dragons were long since lost to the mists of time and relegated to the status of myth. They now only existed in movies and video games which helped to hide just what it was. "They _are_ going to make the connection soon. There are too many dragons in movies or games for someone not to notice," Serena warned with a heavy sigh.

Her phone beeped, notifying her of an incoming call. She answered and put it on speaker. Sarah apprised her of the ongoing situation. "There are reports that it is presently destroying the commercial port of Chicago. There are news helicopters that are covering the destruction."

Serena scrambled for the remote and sure enough there were a few airborne news helicopters that were braving the event to cover it. One of the helicopters was far enough out that it witnessed the dead Dragon spit out a mass of green, gloppy acid that destroyed one of two very large grain silos.

This continued for what felt like hours but was in reality only about fifteen minutes before the lich dove into the lake and disappeared. What it left behind was a swath of destruction and many fires. Police on site had called in the fires and fire stations from all over responded along with fire boats.

The news took that time to focus on what the helicopters were showing now that it was safe, supposedly, to get in closer. There were two large grain silos across from each other that were now effectively gone as what was left was burning.

Suddenly a large cargo ship exploded, sending debris everywhere that spread more fires. Allison gasped in surprise and Thompson closed his eyes and groaned.

"The prices of a lot of things are going to go up now. It's going to affect everyone in the country soon. It also means the pressure on the White House and the military is going to increase. How the President responds to this is going to define his presidency. How the military responds is going to tell other countries a lot." Serena only saw myriad troubles coming.

The puzzled looks Allison and Thompson were giving her led her to explain. "If your adversary shows weakness in their own backyard, how weak are they on your border? If their attention is on what's happening in their own country, how can you take advantage of the situation? Plus the loss of those silos means prices will quickly rise."

She wondered just where the fight that she saw coming was going to take place. If it happened here it would bring attention to all the shifters in the area and perhaps world-wide.

"I hate this." The Dracolich was making a mess of everything.


	29. Chapter 29

**Evil Eyes 29**

 _The next few chapters are going to viewed from different peoples point of view. Some items take place at the same time while others may be before or after the event you have just read._

I'm not trying to confuse you so if you get lost it might be best to start back at the beginning. If you have questions just send me a message and i will do my best to clear it all up.

Happy reading.

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 _It_ _is_ _now late_ _October_ _, just one week prior to Halloween_

Kate and Rick were wrapped up around each other and sound asleep. That was until one of the twins woke them up. Both of them shot straight up since they had gotten used to waking up at the littlest sound that one of the three and a half month old twins might make.

However, it took a moment to realize what the noise was. It was someone pounding on their bedroom door! Unfortunately it also woke the twins who began crying since the noise had startled them awake.

Kate took Aileen while Rick picked up Aurelia as Kate headed for the door. Opening it, she found Serena standing there, barely dressed with more than a hint of her breasts showing. "It's time, we need to get in the air. Joanne's outside calling for Allison and Thompson. We need to move or we'll be fighting this fight in your backyard." She ran back to the room they were using.

Kate stood there, partially in shock and partially because she wasn't really awake. She felt Rick at her back. She whispered the words Serena had told her. "It's time." She herself was uncertain, however her Dragon was roaring and trying to build her up for a fight.

It felt like things happened so fast, when in reality it took close to an hour. Allison and Thompson had the twins, Ava, Alexis, and Sam downstairs with everything they would need.

Miles and Kimberly spent the time getting into their suits as did Jessica and Mark. Serena and Joanne only had flight suits so they were out in the helicopter going through their checklist, twisting knobs and flipping switches while talking to each other.

The six of them had headsets that allowed them to communicate with each other. "Get in the air as fast and as high as you can," Serena told Miles and Kimberly.

Jessica and Mark warmed up the radar dish and started using up their forty gallons of gas, thankful to have that much.

Kate stopped and knelt in front of Alexis and Sam. "I need you two to stay here where it's safe. I need to know that you're safe." The girls didn't say a word, nor did they nod their heads. She really didn't have time to talk to them but snuck in a quick kiss for each of them. "I love you, both of you."

She paused just long enough to run her hand over the heads of Aurelia and Aileen and kiss their faces. She took a moment, picked up Ava, breathed in her scent, and kissed her cheek.

"You're a brave Bear, Alexis. And you're a strong Seelie, Sam. I need you both to stay here and protect your baby sisters, all three of them." Rick hugged Alexis and Sam, gave the babies a quick kiss and followed his wife out the door.

"We need to get moving," he reminded his wife since she had stopped at the swing set and was watching the air team work at getting off the ground. It was amazing to see. They both had large fans on their backs that were attached to glide chutes and were actually using the air from the helicopter to get the chutes up into the air.

They were slow and didn't look very maneuverable. However, they were in the air and working on gaining altitude while flying off to either side.

The noise from the helicopter increased and they both watched it leap up into the air and take off out over the trees. "Try and stay safe, love. Remember I can help heal any wounds you receive. I just need to reach you." Rick wrapped his arms around her and kissed her soundly, as though it might have to last a lifetime.

Kate felt worry and fear and could hear her Dragon roaring its defiance. Even through all this she could feel the love her husband was sending her. She kissed him back as hard as she could. "I love you, Richard Rodgers." She looked directly into his eyes then turned and took off running. Dropping her robe, she shifted into her Dragon, pumping her wings hard to gain altitude.

Rick watched her fly off, then he dropped his robe and shifted into his Bear. He stood up on his back legs and bellowed out a roar that even Johanna and Oscar could probably hear as he used his front paws to swing at empty air. Back down on all fours, he took off running. It was time to protect his wife and his family.

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Joanne studied her screens. "Systems are operational and we have enough fuel to get home from here." She wasn't sure she was going to need it against what they were going to be fighting against but she activated their antiradar systems.

"Really don't want the Air Force trying to shoot us down if they show up." Joanne mostly talked to herself even though Serena heard every word. She was busy looking at all of her readouts.

"All weapons systems are active," Joanne reported and watched Miles and Kimberly running while being pushed by their fans, using the air they were putting out to get their chutes up into the air. Once those were up, they could fly on their own.

"Do _not_ get yourself killed Kim," Miles said, a slight quaver in his voice. "I have a question to ask you when we get back." Her heart soared. She had noticed that both he and Mark had gone into town the other day which was suspicious. He had been so passionate last night while making love; she had a guess as to what he was talking about.

"And I'll be here to say yes." Thrilled, Kim smiled wide and started running while working on getting her chute to get airborne.

They were both up. "We flank our target; you take port and stay safe," Miles told her.

"You too, babe, and watch out for that bony tail. It may decide to whip it around and take out your chute," Kim cautioned and veered off to one side.

"I actually have it on radar, guys, and it isn't trying to hide," Mark called out to everyone, giving them the zone in which he was presently located along with the speed at which he was flying.

"I've got it," Joanne confirmed and gave Serena a course correction. "I've also got Kate; she's headed right for that thing."

oXo

Allison and Thompson were doing their best to keep the twins calm but they were putting up a bigger fuss than they ever had in the past. "They can feel it," Thom remarked and Allison nodded, agreeing.

She took a quick look. Alexis and Sam stood at the glass doors while looking outside. What she couldn't see or hear was the silent communication between the girls using eyes and facial expressions. Only a moment later Allison and Thom heard the door open and both girls ran outside. Alli and Thom took off, running after them while holding the twins.

Once outside they saw Alexis shred the clothes she was wearing by shifting into her Bear. She ran away as fast as she could.

Sam simply slipped out of her clothes after she changed. She zipped around Alexis a couple of times and took off like a shot. "We should have anticipated this." Allison was ready to collapse. The fight hadn't even really started and she had already failed Kate and Rick.

Thompson, however, had a plan. He screeched into the night sky and was soon rewarded by a Red-tailed Hawk swooping in and shifting into his naked human shape. "Inform the others. The dead Dragon is on its way. Have them keep an eye on Alexis and Sam if at all possible," Thompson said to him.

Alli added her own warning. "And tell everyone to keep a lookout for the Unseelie. It is likely out there somewhere as well." They watched him run off, shift back into his Hawk, and fly away.

They looked at Jessica and Mark who were manning their unit. There was no action in their area so Alli walked up to them while still holding the baby. "This thing is not mobile so why did you bring it?" She was curious.

"They aren't here yet but they might be and we have several mile radius," Mark explained.

"We have all of them on our radar and will be ready for when or if they head this way," Jessica added. "You should go back inside." She turned back to her screen to follow everyone she could see.

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The phone only rang once. "Sir, we have it on radar. It has left the Chicago area and is headed west-southwest," the person on the other end of the phone informed him.

"Keep it on your screens; apprise me when it changes course," he responded and hung up only to pick up another phone. "Sound the alert and get the helicopters in the air. Our target is on the move." He ended the call and stepped over to see his own screen.

Five minutes later he watched as four Apache helicopters took off and started their run on an intercept course with the bony Dragon. His phone rang again which had him stepping back.

"We have two more contacts coming from the west-southwest, sir. Their formation suggests a lead and wingman. We're having difficulty keeping a lock on the wingman. Correction, he's gone from our screens." It had disappeared on him.

"Keep watching," he ordered and ended the call. Then he moved to his screen. He saw only one coming up from the west. It was a situation he didn't understand so he stepped back to his phone and dialed a number.

"Our intercepts are airborne, sir. However we have a bogey that isn't ours coming from the west on an intercept. Also one of the bogies appears to have stealth," he advised whoever was on the phone.

"I'll look into it. Keep them on intercept," he was told and hung up the phone so he could make a call to find out who might be in the area.

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Joanne was glued to her screens while letting Serena fly. "I've got four new contacts. Looks like they're coming out of the base near Rapid City. Size and speed suggests Apache helicopters. Our stealth is functioning at an estimated 89%. We're likely not on their screens.

I'm also getting radar pings from the base. They might have seen us taking off but probably don't see us now," Joanne added.

"Inform Miles and Kimberly that they may have company and to keep their eyes open," Serena responded while she focused her attention on where she was going.

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Kate had her eyes peeled for this dead Dragon that appeared to want her so badly. _'We will crush it_ _,_ _'_ _h_ er Dragon told her to bolster her spirits. _'Altitude, I don't want it diving down on me and forcing us into the ground.'_ Kate had her own idea and soon her wings were pumping harder as she gained altitude.

She went over the plan in her mind. They had spent the last few days discussing various scenarios of what might happen. In this case, she was to gain its attention then fly back the way she'd come so that their flight team of Miles and Kimberly could get in contact and attack from the flank.

She was still amazed at how well she could see. The moon was practically nothing and yet she could see for miles. Actually she was starting to like flying and not just during their family outings.

"Is that...?" Kate questioned. She thought she saw something flying just above the treetops headed her way. The response she got was her Dragon snarling its hatred of that thing.

' _We stay up here and let it pass us. It's already going t_ _he_ _way we want it to go_ _,_ _'_ Kate thought, wanting her Dragon to listen.

' _You can see it?'_ Rick had heard her. _'Where are you now?'_ He was still huffing and grunting as he ran as hard as he could.

' _A little northwest of the road to the Kodiak_ _C_ _ommunity. Not far from where I ran off the road when Paladin attacked.'_ Kate easily recognized the area. _'It's in the open, no trees.'_

She was ready and cruised down at a smooth dive with the intent of landing on it and forcing it to crash into the ground. _'We need to be quick_ _,_ _'_ she warned her Dragon since she wanted to get running and back into the air before it could recover.

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"Whisper One to Whisper Flight. I now have two targets. Target One is at treetops. Target Two is now diving on Target One. Maintain course and engage Target One when in range. Get in close and get good hits." Whisper One ended the communication and began asking his backseater a few questions as he watched everything on his eye piece.

"I'll be damned!" his backseater suddenly yelled. "Target Two landed right on top of Target One and slammed it into the ground. Target Two must be big. ...Two minutes to target."

Whisper Leader was watching everything when suddenly the two targets separated with one struggling to get back in the air while the other was still on the ground. "One minute," his backseater advised as he kept his eyes on Target One, still on the ground.

From the outside, the four Apaches were effectively side by side and each fired a Hellfire missile followed by emptying one of their rocket pods that each held six missiles.

Each pulled up to go over the target with the two outside Apaches peeling off to either side just as the ground erupted with explosions throwing dirt and debris everywhere.

What the pilots didn't see was a bony head reach up and spit out a large glob of green gooey acid.

"Whisper Three has been hit," his backseater informed him just as he turned and tried to spin in place to give his backseater another clear shot. He saw the diamond that was Whisper Three disappear off his eye piece which told him he was gone.

It also showed that the other two of Whisper Flight were doing what he was doing. Each saw flashes of fire as another Hellfire missile followed by the contents of the second rocket pod were fired.

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"I think Kate means to drive it into the ground." Joanne was watching her screens. "Those four Apaches likely see her on their radar. I'm guessing they're two minutes out from effective firing range," Joanne informed Serena. "Kate hit it! They are both plummeting to the ground. Those Apaches are still on course for both of them."

It wasn't hard to notice the explosions which told Serena that the Apaches had attacked. "Kate's in the air and slowly gaining altitude," Joanne said. "I've lost contact with one of the Apaches. It's likely the dead Dragon has attacked with his breath weapon."

"We're six minutes out. Target still locked. ...The remaining Apaches are firing again." Joanne helped Serena know what was happening.

"It's off the ground and struggling to gain altitude. ...I've lost contact with another Apache," Joanne told her.

"Damn," Serena softly cursed. Losing four F-15C tactical fighter aircraft was child's play. They only knew speed and didn't have the armor that the Apaches had. It was also clear that she was probably going to have to make some very serous and dangerous maneuvers to keep from ending up like those two.

"It's headed right for a third Apache," Joanne reported. _'Dive and turn_ _,_ _you idiots!'_ she thought to herself, forgetting that Serena would hear her.

Serena didn't need to be told when another diamond on her screen suddenly disappeared leaving a single diamond exiting that area. "Three down," Serena commented. She wanted to deflate and grieve for the crews of those three Apaches.

"One minute to effective range," Joanne advised which brought Serena's mind back in the game.

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Kate felt the impact and literally grunted as she did her best to try and get her claws to do as much damage as possible. At the same time she saw the neck of the Dracolich getting closer and closer till her Dragon's mouth enveloped the vertebrae and bit down.

Then they hit the ground which stunned both of them for a moment. Kate, however, had control of her Dragon's legs and was up and running. _'FLAP, we need to get airborne again_ _!_ _'_ She was hoping that splitting up who-did-what would help. Two heads were better than one, right?

She could feel that they were airborne just as the area behind them erupted in flames and debris. She turned her head to look behind them while leaving the flying to her Dragon.

' _Helicopters? Where did military helicopters come from?'_ Kate didn't remember seeing them and silently cursed herself for not keeping her eyes open. She had been too focused on the Dracolich.

' _Altitude, we need altitude_ _,_ _'_ Kate thought to her Dragon. Finally the ground began to recede more and more. She could also feel her lungs working hard along with a number of muscles that told her she was flapping her wings unflaggingly.

It was the flash of fire below her that now had her attention. The helicopters were behind her. Kate recognized one of them. _'Serena. ...Spin around and go back_ _,_ _'_ Kate asked and felt herself falling before leveling out just above the treetops. It wasn't the maneuver she had in mind, but it did the job.

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"Fox One," Joanne informed Serena who held course and watched as the Dracolich started to do a long slow turn. She grinned; it was a stupid maneuver because it exposed its flank and allowed Joanne her choice of targets. "Fox Two," Joanne called out which now had Serena smiling widely.

The love of her life was taking advantage of the situation. It did mean Joanne was now using two of her screens to watch the video feed they were providing. However, a diamond that she hadn't been following got her attention. "There's someone on our tail!" Joanne yelled as she kept her attention on her screens.

Serena pressed the button to start dispensing flares and chaff to mess up any infrared missiles or radar missiles that might be headed their way. She also started a wide barrel roll to throw off the missiles.

"One hit right in the jaw." Joanne was used to Serena doing wild maneuvers so her head wasn't spinning even if her stomach still felt it. "Another hit on the skull. ...Too close for another shot." Joanne advised so that Serena could create distance between them.

Serena increased speed and put it in the red as she watched the Dracolich suddenly come into visual range. _'Damn that thing is big!'_ The videos hadn't done it justice. She was impressed. She idly wondered if Kate would reach that size.

She pressed the button for the M61A1 Vulcan that sent out 7,200 rounds per minute. It was selectable and her other hand had selected maximum dispersal. It meant she would use up her limited ammunition faster but she had doubts as to how effective it would be. And she still had a flanking shot.

The tracers showed both of them that Serena had started on the skull and worked her way down the side of the body till the rounds had cleared the tail only to have both of them grunting as Serena suddenly banked hard while increasing the power further into the red.

What neither really saw was that the vast majority of the tiny rounds went right through the bony body of the Dracolich doing almost no damage.

"Dead ahead!" Joanne all but screamed out which had Serena doing yet another large barrel roll while dispensing flares and chaff. She had only noticed Whisper Leader was headed right for them just as Joanne yelled at her.

The two of them went past each other with heads turning to look at the other.

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' _Faster, faster_ _!_ _'_ Kate urged her Dragon and felt her wings pumping hard. She saw an opening that was closing fast. _'This is going to be close.'_ But what she hadn't taken into account was the Dracolich being able to hold course and yet turn its head her direction.

She saw a pair of red eyes that were already glowing. Only it looked to her like they only increased in brightness. _'_ _Unadulterated_ _hatred.'_ Kate had no trouble recognizing that look.

It spat out a large glob of green acid goo that was headed right for them. _'SHIT, this is going to hurt_ _,_ _isn't it_ _?_ _'_ She wanted to squeeze her eyes closed. Maybe what she wouldn't see wouldn't hurt her, but she didn't.

What she did see, however, was her world spinning. She recognized the maneuver from when they were out playing with their family. Internally, Kate was grinning widely as her Dragon did a wingover. They rose quickly followed by spinning over on their back with a slight turn.

Kate felt her lungs fill with air followed by seeing a massive amount of flame rush out in front of her and slam straight into the upper back of the Dracolich.

The maneuver had them flying off to the flank of the Dracolich. _'I hope that hurt_ _,_ _'_ Kate thought loudly as her wings worked hard to gain altitude as well as speed.

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"That was impressive," Serena commented as they both watched Kate complete her maneuver, breathe fire onto the back of the Dracolich, then fly off at an angle.

"HOLY HELL!" Serena also watched as the Dracolich did its own spin that had it plummeting towards the ground only to level out and mightily pump its wings. It was now on a course that took it directly after Kate and was gaining on her.

"Fox Three," Joanne called out. They both knew that from this angle that was behind it as Serena finished her turn and ended up on the same course as the Apache helicopter, that it was not going to be an effective hit. Still they needed to take its attention off of Kate.

Serena was forced to reduce speed even though what she wanted to do was increase speed.

But Joanne had a plan. _'What are you doing_ _,_ _love?'_ Serena could see their recent shot flying way off course. However, Joanne didn't respond since she needed to keep an eye on what her missile saw and where the Dracolich was going.

It was when the missile suddenly made a mad turn and headed in for the Dracolich that Serena suddenly understood and she grinned gleefully. But just as the missile impacted what looked like the frame of the Dracolich where the wing attached to the body, their helicopter suddenly took a nosedive.

They were headed straight for the ground. "BABE! _**SERENA?**_ What the hell?" Joanne turned her head only to see Serena staring out into space with her hands locked on the controls, forcing them to fly unswervingly toward the ground.

"OH SHIT!" Joanne's worst fear had come to pass.


	30. Chapter 30

**Evil Eyes 30**

Allison and Thompson were both outside and cursing softly to themselves. "Anything happens to those two and they are going to kill us." She couldn't believe it. Alexis and Sam had so far proven to be timid enough not do something so stupid.

"We are so fired." Thompson had really been looking forward to this job. Living in the apartment of their dreams and helping a family that was filled with Wyverns and Kodiak Bears, neither of which were under the thumb of Jackson Hunt.

He just knew he shouldn't but since everything had gone wrong so far. "What else can go wrong? We need..." He stopped talking as they both watch Ava in her Dragon form running past the antiaircraft battery that Jessica and Mark were still manning. Then she was airborne and headed the same direction everyone else had gone.

" _FOLLOW HER!_ I'll go take care of Aileen and Aurelia." Allison's heart had already sunk to her toes. She had grown to love this family and was just starting to think about starting her own. Plus she and Thom still had to go to this bonding event that would get them even closer.

She watched her fiancé strip and start running before turning into his Hawk in an attempt to catch up to Ava. Just what he could do to get her to come back was unknown. First though, he had to catch her and shift back into a human so he could talk to her.

Heartbroken, Allison trudged back into the house with the fear that her fiancé was never going to catch her and be able to talk to her. Still she trudged inside to put the twins down where she could watch them.

Once upstairs a little later after getting a bottle ready she found twin Dragons stumbling all over themselves while trying to make it down the stairs. _"_ _ **NO!**_ No, no, no!" She did her best to get a hand on each of them. "Please, sweethearts, you need to stay here. Let us protect you. Your family will be safer if you stay here. P-L-E-A-S-E! Help them by staying here." Allison knew the risks but how did she convey those risks to infants? Even if they were baby Dragons that were more mature than a baby human at this stage.

She did her best to hold the Chinese Dragon down while keeping a hand on the one with wings. However, each were fighting back a little. Though it was more wiggling to get free than actual fighting.

"Please, stay here." Allison had reached the crying stage as her heart feared what would happen if those two made it outside. Suddenly she had help that she wasn't expecting. Midas and Maggie were standing over each Dragon and growling at them. The twins stopped struggling but snapped and did what Allison took to be grumbling that sounded vaguely like growling.

It felt like forever until both girls simply stayed where they were while Midas and Maggie stood guard. "Please shift back for me and let me take care of you. They'll be back, I promise." Allison had no clue how she was going to keep that promise, but those two needed hope.

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Alexis was running for all she was worth. Her heart was beating fast and the fear of losing her father and her mother was almost overwhelming. Then Sam started darting all around her and shot off like a cannon. Alexis could only hope she was going the right way.

The ground had a number of gullies that forced her down them to the dry bed below and back up the other side. Where she was she had never been before. It wasn't barren per se, but it didn't have much in the way of trees either. Plus it was dark. Really dark. Houses were far and few between out there and the highway was way over that way.

Alexis knew that if she went to the road she would be spotted, but that road also led to the Kodiak Bear Community. Would they help her, or try and stop her? As far as she was concerned, there really was no question of what to do, especially when Sam cam zooming back to her and then zoomed off again.

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Jessica and Mark watched with their mouths hanging open as a small Amethyst Dragon ran past them and lifted up into the air to fly over the trees in the distance. "Oh crap." Jessica was suddenly filled with worry and dread.

Watching Alexis run off followed by Sam had been one thing, but watching this baby Dragon fly off was another. They both turned to watch a crestfallen Allison run back inside the house.

"Do we help her with the twins?" Jessica asked since that was what she wanted to do. Mark shook his head. "If this goes as we fear, we are the last line of defense anyone inside that house has." He knew their job.

Mark got on the communication network. "Kimberly and Miles, you need to know that Alexis, Sam, and Ava have run off to help their parents. Keep an eye open for them."

"Copy that," was the only reply he got back.

"This complicates things just a bit." Kimberly wasn't happy about this development.

"We stay on mission; just be ready to squeeze it between us," Mark countered.

Then a new message that was really bad news came over the system.

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" _ **SERENA!**_ _"_ Joanne reached across to take hold of her arm only to be met with no resistance as she kept the helicopter headed straight for the ground.

They had talked about this, and had even had Joanne using the switch a couple of times, but never when both of their lives were hanging in the balance. She quickly scanned her switches till she found the two she wanted. Flipping them and grabbing hold of the controls on her side allowed her to lift the nose as she worked at getting it to stay in hover mode. She looked at her screens that showed Kate headed off in another direction with the Dracolich hot on her heels and gaining.

"Damn that thing," Joanne cursed and used the controls to lift up and take off after the two of them. The real trick was how was she going to fly and use the weapons at the same time? She knew how to fly but didn't have Serena's skill.

She tried again to yell at her. "SERENA! ...Serena!?" However, all she got back in return was to watch her shoving the now useless controls in an effort to fly them into the ground.

Joanne was busy watching the Dragons on her screen while flying high enough to not hit any trees when suddenly something small that resembled a tiny girl with a far too big of a head showed up in front of her windshield. It promptly shot something that sparkled at her. It went straight through the windshield and struck her. Except she didn't feel any different. "That doesn't work on me." She was beyond furious. That damn Unseelie had done something to her fiancé and had to pay for it. Especially since she didn't know if or how she was going to get her back again.

Joanne reduced power abruptly which had the nose pointing down for a moment before leveling out again. She smiled wickedly since that damn creature was still out there so she picked the lowest setting on the selector and pressed the button. The result was 4,200 rounds per minute spewing from the main gun under the nose. She chased after that damn creature as it tried to avoid the hundreds of rounds that she was pumping out. All Joanne had to do was move her head for the gun to follow.

She soon grinned a heinous grin as she watched it fall to the ground. "And stay dead!" she spat out then looked at her screens before applying power once again to go chase both Dragons.

"Now where is... ?" Joanne started talking to herself. The fourth Apache was out there somewhere.

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"Base, this is Whisper One, do you copy?" He had information to share.

"This is Base Actual, what have you got Whisper One?" a low voice responded.

"Whisper Two, Three, and Four are down. Did you send another unit? I have an unknown attacking the main target. I also have a second target that is attacking. Please advise." He knew what he wanted to do but would do as he was told.

"Hold on Whisper One," the voice replied and was back a number of seconds later. "No other units assigned to this area. Proceed to primary target and destroy."

Both the pilot and his backseater were filled with despair. So far, anything that attacked that thing had died. Even the surprise second unit was off their screens. "Whisper One copy, proceeding on target." It was his job; he just never thought he would be fighting this thing.

"We only have two Hellfires left along with a few thousand rounds," his backseater advised. Not that it didn't stop him from applying power and giving chase to what ever this thing was.

"I have that second target on my screen. Just popped up above the trees and is pulling away from us headed for primary target. ...Not sure what happened to them but they are moving fast," his backseater informed him.

They weren't going to catch any of them but he had his orders as he looked down to see how much fuel they still had.

A moment later the backseater saw something sparkling in front of him as their helicopter started plummeting for the ground, nose first.

His backseater tried calling out to him. "Jamie, what're you doing?" Apaches didn't have ejection seats like fighter planes did. It just wasn't possible unless you wanted to get cut in two by the rotating blades.

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Rick was running as fast as he could while listening to his wife talking to her Dragon. She was alive and unharmed so far and through their bond he knew just where she was and what she was doing.

They had forces back at the house that could help if they led it that way. It's just that was also where their children were located. They had no way of knowing that the only children still at the house were the twins and that was only because they were still too young to do much even in Dragon form.

' _Come back this way, give_ _me_ _a chance_ _,_ _Kate.'_ They were both too fast for him and he was never going to catch up unless she came back this way. _'Damn it_ _,_ _Kate, let_ _me_ _help you.'_ She wasn't answering and he could feel her desire to do this alone. _'Don't leave our kids motherless. It'll crush all of their hearts.'_ Rick decided to play dirty since his heart would be just as broken and he most likely wouldn't be the father those girls needed after that.

Suddenly he could feel Kate crying. He'd obviously touched a nerve. _'Fine_ _,_ _'_ she answered and started a wide turn that allowed her to see just how close the Dracolich had gotten while chasing her. _'It's right on my tail, almost close enough to bite it.'_ In her fear, her wings pumped harder and she gained a little ground as she made her wide turn.

Joanne was watching it all including watching the Apache headed for the ground. However, she had no time to turn her head to look for it nor the fireball when the fire reached its fuel tanks.

"Good girl, keep turning, give me a clear shot," Joanne said to herself as she followed where Kate was going with the Dracolich right behind her. "Fox Four," she told anyone listening which in this case happened to be Kimberly, Miles, Jessica, and Mark.

Joanne was forced to divide her attention so she could guide the missile using the camera in the nose. "Right, go right damn you." She cursed at the missile that was turning too damn slowly.

Finally she was rewarded with watching it slam into the jaw yet again before the video ended. "Hopefully that will give it something to think about." She was down to two video missiles and a few thousand rounds that would last only a few seconds.

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Alexis had lost sight of Sam yet again, still she kept running till suddenly Sam showed up right in front of her face which had Alexis hitting the brakes. She panted heavily as she watched Sam flit all over the place and then land.

"Mom and Dad are that way," a naked Sam told her, but suddenly Sam didn't feel good. She looked around wildly. "Run Lex, just run." Sam transformed and took off like a shot. She had something she had to do if she was going to get to keep her family.

Alexis stood up on her hind legs and growled at Sam to get her to stop till she was out of view.

" _I'm a brave_ _B_ _ear, I'm a brave_ _B_ _ear_ _,_ _'_ she had to be a brave Bear. The only mother she had was out there somewhere. She dropped down on all fours and took off running in the direction Sam had told her.

They had gotten close over the months since Sam had joined their family. Alexis trusted her and even loved her as a sister. She was also a good friend and they were nearly inseparable at school.

Alexis was loping along in the dark; she was getting tired. Then she saw a fireball rise up in the sky. _'Mom!?'_ She didn't know if it had anything to do with her mom, but it was enough to get her running again, drawing on every bit of reserve energy that she had.

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Ava was higher up than she ever had been before. It felt good and frightening at the same time. If she crashed from this height it was going to hurt. But she just knew everyone was out here somewhere, especially Sam. She didn't know why but she loved Sam a lot and wanted to do so much for her. Losing her family was something Ava barely understood, but she could feel the pain Sam had been and still was in.

Then something told her that Alexis had gone that way while Sam had gone another. She twisted her head to look each direction. Her mother and father felt like they were the direction Alexis was going while Sam was going toward the recent fireball that rose up in the night sky.

Ava had a choice to make: Alexis, or Sam? She literally growled as her heart tried to tell her something. Each sister was going in an opposite direction. She made up her mind and made a turn. It didn't help how she felt. But she had to help someone.

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Kate felt her lungs working hard and her heart was racing as she flew as fast as she thought she could. She didn't dare look behind her since that action alone might slow her down.

It wasn't until she felt a searing, mind-numbing pain on what she took to be her tail that she looked back and saw that her tail was damaged. Black and blazing red, she started leaving a trail of blood that had the Dracolich smiling.

Looking back allowed her Dragon to use her burnt and damaged tail to whack him upside his jaw just as his jaw seemed to explode. His glowing red eyes seemed to dim for a moment before blazing red once again.

Kate turned her head back around and tried to evaluate what she had seen. Her tail had obviously been spat on by his gooey acid breath weapon and the pain was excruciating. Just what had hit him in the jaw? Whatever it was it had done some damage. It looked like the Dracolich's ability to bite anything was now out of the question. Part of its jaw was dangling.

It was the first bright spot in this fight. Then she saw some blinking lights just as there was a sudden burst of flame in the darkness where those blinking lights were located. Then the lights disappeared. Serena was her first guess.

Kate couldn't help it, she had to see how close it was again. She only had a moment to see it swipe a front claw at her already damaged tail; she and her Dragon screamed in pain.

It was a debilitating pain that had her tumbling from the sky and headed for a bad landing on the ground. _'_ _ **PAIN!**_ _'_ It was almost all Kate could feel. Neither of them really felt the pain of crashing to the ground and tumbling a little ways. Her Dragon came to her senses first and started to rise, only to have the Dracolich crash on her and force her back down.

With its jaw all but hanging from one side, it couldn't talk. That was thanks to the damage it had received on that side from the video missile. It wanted to be able to talk, wanted this young Dragon to know just what it was going to do to her so she could experience the fear. Listen to her uselessly beg for her life.

But it had a problem. It couldn't bend down and sink its teeth into her neck and taste her blood. What it wouldn't give to taste her fresh blood. It had a problem, though. It couldn't really taste anything in that form.

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"Oh god!" Joanne saw Kate tumble from the sky followed by the Dracolich literally landing on her. It was going to kill Kate, she just knew it. She didn't have a lock but it still might help. "Fox Five," Joanne called out. She was forced into hover mode several hundred feet up as she watched her video feed to guide the missile to a good spot.

"Come on, come on. Hold still just a few seconds longer," Joanne said to herself. Just what did it take to kill this damn thing? An alert had her looking at a different screen. "Oh, come on, just one break. Even a tiny one, that's all I ask."

Her screen showed the last Apache helicopter coming up her 6 o'clock, except that it was headed for the ground which made no sense. Not what she needed right now. Joanne placed her finger on the flare and chaff dispenser while turning her attention back to her video feed. She just needed a few more seconds then that asshole could blow her to bits.

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Rick could feel and hear Kate screaming in severe pain. He couldn't get her to talk to him which only increased his fear that the Dracolich had her. At least he knew just where she was and knuckled under and worked at increasing his speed. He wasn't losing his wife, his mate for life. Not today, not ever. They had a family and a future together and he wasn't losing it. Not to some bony dead thing that didn't want to die.

He had such poor eyesight in the dark and it wasn't until there was a sudden flash coupled with an explosion that lit up the area, that he actually saw either of them. The damn thing was actually standing on Kate who was lying on the ground.

Rick roared and kept running for all he was worth. That thing had to go.

It looked to be just recovering from being struck by something that he guessed was a missile from someone, Serena and Joanne, perhaps, as he got in just close enough to see a sensitive spot. His Bear was grinning a fang-filled grin since that was likely a vulnerable spot.

Rick leapt up and latched his jaws onto the dangling jaw. He brought his rear feet up and used them as a brace to use every muscle he had to rip what was left of its jaw right off its face.

He felt himself land badly on the ground and tumbled a little. Still his mouth was full of bony jaw that he had ripped off. He opened his mouth to drop it just as there was another explosion that struck the Dracolich in the ribs.

It seemed to rock it a little which was Rick's signal to attack again. He ran for a back leg and latched on with his teeth while using every bit of strength he had to rear up, swipe his front paws against it, and twist his head till finally he had a bone in his mouth. He dropped it and started looking for the next bone he could take off that damn thing. _**PAIN!**_ He found himself flying till he crashed to the ground and tumbled a short distance.

He had broken ribs, he just knew it. And he could taste his own blood in his mouth. He was hurt and it was internal damage. He just didn't know how bad it was.


	31. Chapter 31

**Evil Eyes 31**

Joanne grinned as she watched her next to last missile strike the blasted beast of a Dragon. A dead Dragon that was dead and couldn't die? Or just an already dead Dragon that wanted to live again. Was that why it was after Kate? To take over her body?

She was taken out of her musings about what could be a motive when her system started beeping at her. "Seriously!?" She hated the idea of using her last missile on that asshole of an Apache pilot and his back seat, but if she had to, she would.

Joanne got ready to fire off the flares and chaff once again, not that she had that many left. They had used it a few times already and they only had just so many.

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Alexis heard roaring and quickly recognized the sound her mother made as a Dragon. However, it sounded like she was in pain. Alexis cried softly while running even faster. She was a brave Bear, she was. She had to be.

Her eyesight at night wasn't any better than her father's, still she had no trouble seeing a huge Amethyst Dragon lying on the ground with an even larger bony Dragon literally on top of her.

" _ **NOOO!"**_ Alexis watched it lift up a clawed foot and just knew it was going to use it to injure her mother. That couldn't happen, it just couldn't. She lowered her head as she came charging in and decided to use her mother's size to help her. She jumped on her mother's shoulder and jumped up again from there. It was a lot like jumping those hoops, just without her dad to help her. She noticed that it didn't have a lower jaw, and for a split second, wondered why. It did explain why it looked funny. Still that wasn't where she wanted to land.

She did her best to use her front paws to get hold of its right eye socket and lean in to bite that bright red eye that looked to be glowing. It seemed to be the one vulnerable area to which she might be able to do some damage.

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Sam more felt her than actually saw her and knew just where it was now. She flapped her wings a little faster and slammed into the glass of the helicopter ...and went right through it like it didn't exist.

Inside she saw a little girl with small bone wings, a really big head with really large black eyes wearing a bizarre dress. And the girl was right behind the guy in the back who was doing something in front of him.

"NO!" Sam yelled and got the attention of the Unseelie that was in there with her. Sam didn't really know what she did but she sent a sparkle that hit the guy that was sitting there using one hand and the same thing to the guy sitting up front with the other hand.

"WHAT THE HELL!" He saw a purple dragon flapping its wings really fast just behind the head of his pilot. It was only then that he felt, without really seeing, that there was someone or something behind him. He felt like he had to check his 6 o'clock to keep from having someone coming in behind them.

"WHAT THE HELL!" Now that he saw the little girl that looked really weird, he became furious. However, his instruments got his attention. They were telling him that he now had a radar lock on the helicopter that they were coming up on from behind. His orders were to attack the bony monster, not the helicopter that he had monitored doing the same thing. He canceled his lock and placed the safety switch over the launch switch back into place so that he couldn't accidentally fire a missile.

He and his pilot were both also surprised that they were headed for the ground to plant their nose into. His pilot thankfully pulled out of the dive and placed themselves into hover.

There was a new noise filling the interior of the helicopter. He and the pilot cringed at the sound; it hurt their ears. "Leave my mother alone," Sam yelled at the Unseelie. She began zipping all around it till she finally came a little too close and actually struck the Unseelie. The Unseelie screamed again and the pilot and his back seat once again cringed at the sound.

Sam also stopped as she tried to understand something. It was important, really important. It was the voice that she thought she heard that got her moving.

' _Go honey, go now.'_

Sam zipped out of the helicopter and flapped her wings as hard as she could. She had to get there, she just had to. It was the only thing that was going to save her family.

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Ava was gliding along as high as she had ever been. Thankfully, she only had to flap her wings on occasion to maintain this height though she knew Dragons could fly higher. She'd seen her mother do it.

Her heart was in her throat since she couldn't see her yet. Her eyesight was good but she didn't see anything. That was until she saw a small flash of fire followed by a large burst of fire. Shortly thereafter there was a large sound.

That had to be the place. Then she saw something else. It was Sam and she was really moving. She had never seen Sam fly so fast during their times playing outside as a family. She had to make a decision: go to the flash and find out what that was, or follow Sam who was little more than a streak of purple leaving a small trail of sparkles behind her.

She had to help her mother, she had to. But her mother had always sent her to Sam to help her since she was in such pain.

In the end it was what her mother had kept telling her that had Ava changing course and let herself glide as she followed Sam way up high, flying fast.

At first she wasn't sure what was happening. There weren't many buildings in the area, though Sam flew directly at one and disappeared only to reappear out the other side. Ava didn't remember seeing Sam ever do that before. She wondered if she could do that, too.

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The Dracolich started digging at his eye. Whatever it was had gotten inside his skull and was clawing at everything it found in there. His talons couldn't reach whatever it was so he started shaking his head in hopes of shaking it loose.

He was still shaking his head when his Unseelie showed up in front of him. "Master, a Seelie knows the location of your item and is headed there now." She didn't know what it would do but what it did next was not what she was thinking it would do.

In the blink of an eye her fate was determined. The Dracolich was now sorry he had ever used her in the first place. Since he didn't have a jaw, he didn't really need to open his mouth even if he did try to do just that.

A moment later the Unseelie disintegrated in a glob of green acid that he spat at her. His hatred of the creature now knew no bounds. Even if he won this fight he still needed his soul intact.

He was reluctant to act on the information she had given him since his victim was helpless below him. He was missing a jaw, his back was blackened, he was missing a rib, and it was a long flight.

He bounded away from his victory, jumped into the air, and started flying as fast as his dead and now injured body would allow. His soul was more important than defeating the lone live Dragon on the planet.

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Alexis was consumed with doing as much damage as she could where she was, happy that it couldn't seem to reach her.

It took time for her to figure out that she was suddenly really high up. She peeked out its eye socket as they flew off. _'Mom,_ _D_ _addy?'_ What was she supposed to do now?

Alexis decided to do what she came there for and went back to clawing at everything she could find inside its head. Soon she was leaving deep claw marks all over.

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He was spitting blood as he loped across the field. Rick lumbered over to where his wife was still lying after watching the Dracolich suddenly leave them. He didn't understand what was happening. _I_ _t had_ _ **won**_ _,_ _it had them._ It had had Kate under it and he had been yards away after being hit by it.

' _Kate,_ _love_ _, can you hear me?'_ Rick tried talking to her but didn't get an answer. It wasn't hard to tell that she was hurting. Her tail looked burnt and mangled and he was starting to wonder how it was still attached.

He could heal a little of her damage, however, it would sap him of some of his strength and since he was already hurting... Ignoring his own pain, he placed both paws on the large wounded area and willed her injuries to heal as he sent all the love he had for her to her.

Kate for her part, was barely conscious as the corrosive acid continued to devour her tail. It felt like it was being eaten right off her body. The pain was tremendous and debilitating. Lost in delirium, she thought she heard her husband's voice.

A moment or two later the pain was still there but not as intense. Finally she felt like opening her eyes and looking around. She found her Bear of a husband back by her tail which surprisingly, was still attached.

' _Babe?'_ She was confused as to why she didn't see the Dracolich and only her husband.

' _Kate!_ _Oh, t_ _hank god! ...How do you feel?'_ She was moving even if it was slowly.

' _I'm still in_ _a lot of pain but it_ _'_ _s getting better. What happened?'_ She could only remembered crashing to the ground.

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Sam only knew one way and that was to get her bearings so she knew where she was and could get to where she had to go. That meant going back toward home a little and she was going as fast as she could.

In just a short time she knew where she was and where she had to go, but not what was between here and there. Still she had to get there. What she would do after she got there wasn't something she was even thinking about yet.

Her eyesight, like much of her kind including her mother, was excellent. She was back to flitting around all over the place since it really was the natural way for her to fly. Going straight was actually hard for her.

It was because of this that she caught sight of the Dracolich off in the distance. It seemed to be following her. Since it was in the air, was that good or bad?

There was a flash of fire in the distance that got her attention and caused her to fly in a different direction while still heading where she wanted to go.

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Ava was gliding and still gaining altitude. She was getting really high, almost as high as her mother had ever done and it was a little scary. It didn't help that this was the longest she had ever flown.

However, with her keen eyesight, she never lost sight of Sam. She even saw the Dracolich that seemed to be following her which worried her. Still if it was in the air far below her, it wasn't hurting her family. But where was Sam going?

She wondered if she should go back to Alexis. She thought about it and decided that she had made her choice. Sam was important, so she kept following her.

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Joanne watched the Dracolich lift up off of Kate, not really understanding why. Mostly because suddenly the idiot behind her had lost his lock, which got her moving to get away from him.

Since it was off of Kate she decided to follow it since she had the fuel to last for several hundred miles. She could even reach home from here without refueling if she chose to.

Suddenly she noticed something. "Kimberly, Miles, It's flying right between the two of you, headed east-southeast," Joanne called out.

"Copy that," Miles answered as he dropped his night vision goggles down into place so he could see better.

"Here it comes, babe. About 300 feet above tree level," Kimberly warned and got a mic click back in response.

Almost as one, they each fired off one of their mini rockets followed by another and another. Each was unguided so they had to hope to hit it. "Come on, come on," Miles whispered into his mic.

They were both pleased that the result was a single hit for each of them. Unfortunately, it also got the attention of the Dracolich which altered its course and headed straight for Miles.

"BABE!" Kimberly had no trouble seeing it. It was headed right for him and her heart was in her throat. They weren't even married yet since he hadn't asked her. If they got out of this alive, she was going to ask _him_ to marry _her_ _!_

Miles saw the beast flying right at him. "OH SHIT!" In a split second he saw a blob leave its mouth. He pulled the cord that released him from his machine and began free falling toward the ground.

He only made it maybe a hundred feet when he pulled another cord that deployed his parachute which only slowed his decent a little. He was too close to get a whole lot of use out of it before he was going to hit the ground a little hard.

" _BABE!"_ Kimberly called out to him. However, Miles already had a plan before they even took off. A little before he hit the ground, he shifted into his Mountain Lion. Naturally it shredded his clothes, but he managed to land on his feet and ran for a short distance.

Kimberly saw everything and knew that she couldn't find out how he was since he'd lost all of his equipment. "Jessica, Mark, it's within your range, I think," Kimberly advised them just as she saw a pair of flashes in the distance. She smiled since it meant Jessica and Mark were already out in front of her.

Allison and Thompson were sitting in the living room with the twins who were human infants again, which they were both thankful for. What got their attention was a flash of flame as Jessica and Mark launched their two missiles. It told them that the Dracolich was close enough to fire at.

They went downstairs and stayed away from the windows with the babies who suddenly woke up and let them that they weren't happy. "Shh, honey, it's nothing. Just a little flash and some noise. Nothing to worry about." Allison swayed back and forth with Aileen to try and calm her.

Jessica and Mark left their launcher and picked up one of the old LAW rockets that he had carried out there. He pulled them open and got ready in case it came close enough for them to use it.

Kimberly's trembling voice came over their comms. "Miles is down." She was terrified that she had lost him since she had lost contact and couldn't see him.

"GO!" Jessica yelled at Mark. He dropped his LAW rocket at her feet, shredded his clothes when he shifted into his Mountain Lion, and ran toward Miles' last known direction.

"Mark's on his way, Kim," Jessica told her in an attempt to try and help her and calm her nerves.

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Sam was tired, really tired. She had been flying as fast as she could for what seemed like forever. She didn't really have a clue where she was. She just knew that she wasn't there yet.

She stopped for a moment to rest her wings. Her eyes were almost closed. _'You need to keep going_ _,_ _honey.'_

She was wide awake in the blink of an eye and looked around while still in her Fae form. She started to cry. She was failing and she was very tired. She could see where she wanted to go in her mind but it was just so far away.

A sudden noise caused her to twist around. She feared she was going to have to fly just to save her life. But what she saw made her smile in joy. The surge of energy she had let her flap her wings and flit all around Ava's head after she landed not far away.

Sam only knew one way to communicate, so she shifted back into her human form. "I know where it is, but it's so far away." Sam was bone-tired and had hours of flying still ahead of her.

Ava had simply been gliding as she followed Sam. She didn't know what to do except bow her head very low and wait for Sam to climb on. Instead, Sam shifted back into her Fae form and flitted around Ava's head before landing on her back just at the base of her neck.

Ava took off running and flapping till she was airborne. It took a lot of work and she was really tired by the time she had reached her earlier altitude and started gliding again.

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Joanne watched the Dracolich fly off leaving Kate behind which had confused her. It did, however, give her a moment to try and get Serena back to being with her but nothing happened.

Her heart was hurting; what she had feared had come to pass. But they were there for a reason so she set a course to follow the Dracolich to find out where it was going.

Joanne remained silent as she listened to Kimberly, Miles, Jessica, and Mark perform their actions and watched as their two missiles struck the Dracolich which appeared to falter for a moment.

They were doing damage, that much was clear. "Just what does it take to kill this damn thing?" Joanne muttered to herself as she watched it fly on a mostly east bound course. "Maybe it needs water?" she mused. She had no idea why it was doing what it was doing.

A quick look at her screens showed her that the Apache was headed for Rapid City. It was either recalled, bingo on fuel, or out of munitions for it to fire. Either way it was out of her hair. She did look at her screens to see if she was being tracked by radar. She found that something was trying to find her but it looked like she was invisible for the moment.

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Ava was tired and was having trouble keeping her eyes open. She was mostly just gliding while occasionally flapping her wings to maintain altitude. But she was losing the fight. Worse, she feared Sam was asleep and she had no idea where to go.

She needed to land so she scanned the area below her till she saw a large body of water. Her mother had told her that she could breathe water and had also impressed upon her that people shouldn't see her Dragon.

She really hoped that Sam could swim as she started circling down to the lake before landing in the middle of it with a big splash. It shocked Sam awake and she flitted around Ava.

Had they crashed? Had something attacked her? Sam looked around wildly. It was almost daylight. The sky was beginning to lighten and the sun was just starting to show itself. Sam decided that Ava didn't want to be seen so she was hiding.

Unfortunately, Sam couldn't swim; she'd never had lessons. What she didn't know was could she swim as a dragon. She chose to err on the side of caution as Ava dove down into the water. So she flitted her way over to the back of the lake and found a large tree to land in.

They couldn't talk, but Sam needed to get there to save her family. However, she decided to wait for Ava to come back up, plus she was still quite weary. It was the longest she had been her dragon and definitely the longest time she'd been flying. It was an incredible amount of work.

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Alexis had already been tired when she jumped at its eye and ended up inside its skull. She had spent some time doing damage in the inside its skull. Her reward was seeing the countless gouges that she had made.

She was inside its head! That hadn't really sunk in just yet. She had been too busy scratching and biting the edge that she could sink her teeth into. But she was slowing down as her strength waned.

Stopping to look around told her that she was in the air because it was flying. Unfortunately, she didn't recognize anything except there were a number of trees, so it wasn't a desert. There also wasn't much snow. She knew where Canada was and had read that it was usually colder than home.

Did that mean her mother was safe since it wasn't attacking her anymore?

She was tired, really tired. She repeated her new mantra to herself and started back in hacking away at the inside of this monster. _'I'm a brave_ _B_ _ear.'_ That thing was the _real_ monster.

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Joanne was flying towards a location where she knew they could get fuel. She didn't really need it but it didn't hurt to be careful. But she had two major problems. First was that she was down to one video missile and so far that damned dead Dragon was proving to be one tough...

The second problem was the love of her life was just sitting there, not doing anything. It was hard to tell if she was even blinking but Joanne hoped so. She had no idea what it was going to take to reach her, but she would try while getting fuel.

Her one blessing so far was that the dead Dragon wasn't flying anywhere near as fast as it had earlier. In fact it was actually slowing down. She fervently hoped that it was because of all the damage that it had taken so far.

The one really big unknown was what shape Kate was in. The last she had seen her, Kate was on the ground with the dead Dragon on top of her. Why it hadn't finished her off when it had the chance was the biggest question of all.

It was with a heavy heart that she talked to the tower and brought their helicopter in for a landing so she could get her fuel tanks topped off.

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Neither of them could physically talk to the other, and Kate had never been so happy that they were bonded life mates. _'What does my tail look like?'_ she asked her husband hesitantly, not daring to look.

Rick took a moment to decide if he should lie or tell her the truth. It was a curse at times like this that he rethought his idea of always telling the truth. _'I won't lie, it_ _'_ _s looked better.'_ He hadn't lied but he decided not to tell her exactly what it looked like. Her poor tail actually had large chunks missing. Even after it healed, which was going to take a lot of time, she was going to be left with some nasty scars.

' _It still hurts like hell_ _,_ _'_ she whimpered and chose not to tell him that her Dragon was actually taking some of the pain from her by accepting it within herself.

' _You're going to have to remain a Dragon for a lo_ _ng_ _time for it to heal properly.'_ Rick knew that much even if he didn't know just how long. He feared weeks.

' _Where did it go?'_ Kate had never seen the Dracolich actually leave. She was just relieved that it wasn't sitting on her anymore. She also noticed that her Dragon wasn't quite so positive that they were going to crush it.

Rick only knew that it had flown away. Why and to where were questions he had no answers for.

' _Are y_ _ou up to flying home_ _, love_ _? It's a long way_ _,_ _'_ he warned her. At least it seemed like a long way to him since he had traveled overland.

She had a quick conversation with her Dragon. _'Hop on_ _,_ _babe_ _,_ _and let_ _'_ _s go find out what_ _'_ _s going on.'_

She waited for a very naked, very big bear that was her husband to climb onto her back and quickly realized that it wasn't just her tail that was hurting. He did his best to avoid the areas where the love of his life was missing scales. Pink skin showed beneath where scales had been and it looked inflamed and hurting.


	32. Chapter 32

**Evil Eyes 32**

Joanne had Serena strapped down in the back to hold her in place in case she had to make some wild maneuvers. It also gave her a chance to try and reach her. She had caressed her face, kissed her soundly on the lips, reached inside her top to pinch her nipples. She had even reached down her slacks to play with her clit just a little.

Nothing. She got nothing back from any of that. She blinked back tears. "Please, Serena, come back to me. ...I love you!" Joanne gave her one last kiss before closing the side door and climbing into her seat up front.

The pilot's seat didn't have the screens she had and would likely need. She had also learned to fly from this side so flying from Serena's seat would possibly present challenges. Ones she didn't need now.

Running through the checklist felt weird since she was doing it alone. Worse, she saw nothing on her screens after she fired them up. "Great, just great. Where the hell did you go?" She had to make a choice.

Get up into the air and start flying, praying she was going the right way? Because if she guessed wrong she could end up off by hundreds of miles that might take her hours for which to compensate. Plus her stopping for fuel likely meant it was out in front of her now instead of trailing her.

"If I was a dead Dragon, where would I go?" Joanne said to herself and began bringing up various maps on her largest screen.

"You were sinking ships in the Indian Ocean. Sinking still more ships near the coast of Brazil. Sinking even more ships here and here. ...So where is the largest lake along the route you were taking?" Joanne kept changing images on her screen.

"This looks like a candidate. Nice and large and looks deep. A good place to hide in and lick your wounds." Joanne made her choice. She really wished Serena was with her. She was better at this.

However, she wasn't really alone, was she? "Jessica, Mark, you two still on?" she called.

"Still here. We fired both of our missiles when it came into range. We're down to just those old LAW rockets. Kimberly and Miles are offline ever since Miles went down.

Where are you?" They had lost her the second she had activated the stealth features that it had.

"Minnesota. ...I need the largest and deepest lake in this state. I'm making a wild guess that it's hurting and is hiding out in the bottom of a lake since it seems to like water."

"Give me ten, maybe fifteen minutes," Mark said. He left Jessica behind and ran for the house.

"ALLISON!" Mark yelled the second he was inside. A moment later she emerged from the movie theater room in which they had spent a little time. They had told Serena it was time for a remodel back home. They wanted one, too.

"I need a laptop to do a search."

"Rick's laptop is probably in the living room still connected to the TV." Allison watched him run for the stairs while she went back to the door to check on the twins.

A few minutes later she watched him wave at her as he ran back outside.

"Leech Lake, it's 156 feet deep in the deepest part. Third largest lake in the state and the deepest. 47.155755°N 94.389896°W"

"Got it, thanks. Try and find Kimberly and Miles. I'll check in later." Joanne began adding power after getting clearance to take off and head for the lake.

It turned out that it wasn't all that far from where she was currently. Just a couple of hours later she was nearing the coordinates that she quickly found were for a small bay off to the east that held a large hotel-like structure.

It had a number of trees around it while the rest of the lake was surrounded by what looked more like a high desert. Still it was large and likely really deep toward the center.

Daylight was in a couple of hours and she could really use the sleep, so she chose to land on the opposite side near a walkway that doubled as a small dam. Her map showed that it was just south of US Highway 2.

While she really wanted to walk across the dam and try and find a room, she didn't want to leave Serena alone in the helicopter. It wasn't going to be comfortable but she would live.

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Alexis was really tired and had to stop clawing at the inside of its skull. Fortunately there was a place to stand, but not to really lie down and rest. Besides, she was curious just where she was now. So it she lifted up and looking out its empty eye socket.

What she saw amazed her. They were flying! She had sort of guessed that earlier, but actually seeing it was something else.

It was barely above the ground and only rose just high enough to get over the tallest tree. Then suddenly it landed and laid down.

Alexis continued to just watch. All she really had to do was step off and jump out the bottom of the skull and she would be on solid ground. Just that as weird as it sounded, she felt safer inside it than outside it. If she got out and ran off it might chase her down and kill her. So she stayed and bided her time.

She wasn't really sure just how long it was but suddenly it lifted its head and started running. She was flying again. Or rather _it_ was flying again.

She watched and felt it do this two more times until she started to see the sun come up in the distance. It actually made her happy. Maybe she would actually see something that would tell her where she was.

She had been so busy and preoccupied with doing damage to this monster to be scared. But her adrenaline rush was wearing off since she had been resting for so long and now she was starting to get scared. Just how far away from home was she? And where was everyone?

The sun was up now and she was still watching where they were going. Suddenly a large lake came into view and her fear turned into terror when that stupid monster actually dove for the middle of the lake.

Just what the hell was it doing? She was _so_ very glad her parents weren't here to hear her utter a bad word. However, it seemed a fitting word for what was happening.

Water started pouring in from all the holes. She scrambled out its eye socket and was paddling madly to reach the surface so she could breathe.

Reaching the surface, she coughed and spat out water. After calming down a little, she spun in place, trying to find land. There was land was on all sides but each piece looked just as far away as the other.

The only good thing was that she saw a large building in the distance so she chose to start swimming that way. Her swimming technique had more in common with a dog paddle than a person swimming. Since the water was a little cold she chose to stay a Bear.

She had had swimming lessons at school so she knew how to swim a little. But this was a _really_ big pool to be swimming in for a little Bear!

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Joanne was jolted awake at a sudden burst of sound that at first had her disoriented. Her first instinct was to look over at the love of her life. However, Serena continued to just lie there and stare out into space.

The next was to get up and look outside through the window. By then what she saw was the aftereffect of a lot of water falling back down into the middle of the lake, very far away. "What the…?"

She grabbed the _Newcon Optik Laser Rangefinder Binocular LRB 12KNIGHT_ and slid the door open.

Once outside, she raised them to scan the lake and saw the massive ripple of water emanating from a central point. "Something crashed" was her first guess which had her searching the surrounding area before lowering them to get another overall general feel for the event.

Lifting them back up she scanned the central area again till a movement caught her eye. Zooming in she saw…a _bear_ _?_ It wasn't possible, was it? Just how did a bear of that size make that big of a splash? And how did it get way out there in the first place? Even more perplexing was that it was dog paddling her way.

"It'll drown before it even makes it halfway." The even bigger question was if she went out there, how was she going to get a wild bear into her little inflatable dinghy? Even if it was small-looking from this distance.

"Oh, fine." Joanne already knew the answer to at least going out there, after that she would see. So she cast aside the binoculars for now, got the inflatable out and started setting it up.

While the pump started filling it with air, she pulled the engine out and began getting ready to attach it.

 _ **HASWING 12 V 20 lbs Inflatable Boat Transom Mount Motor Electric Trolling Motor**_

The motor and prop was barely the size of a hand mixer and it was going to take forever to get out that far. Her biggest fear was that the battery would give out before she made it back to shore.

"Don't move, love." Joanne kissed the still motionless Serena and slid the door closed. Using the binoculars told her where the bear was now. It also showed her that the crash had gotten the attention of some of the people inside the building.

Joanne cursed internally at her stupidity. She went back inside the helicopter, plugged the binoculars into her communications equipment, and sent it to Jessica and Mark before unplugging it and taking it with her.

 _The unit requires virtually no maintenance, and very little operational training. Through USB and RS-232 interfaces, the LRB 12K and LRB 12KNIGHT can be operated remotely, have their stored data exported and communicate with external GPS systems and ballistic computers._

Joanne had to keep using the binoculars to keep an eye on the bear while she slowly made her way out into the middle of the lake. Still the bear was dog paddling its way out of the lake.

She could only guess that the people from the house seeing her go out into the lake had satisfied the curiosity of most of them because she didn't spot any other boats headed out into the lake.

The lake water was cold but a bear should have fat and fur so she thought it would be fine, at least for now.

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Alexis was tired, dead tired. Dog paddling was hard work. She was already having trouble keeping her head above water and had taken in far too much water. She was going to drown, she just knew it. _'I'm sorry_ _M_ _om and_ _D_ _ad, I'm so sorry.'_ She and Sam had simply wanted to help. They actually had no clue just how they were going to do that, but that was all they wanted to do.

Now she was out her in some lake, far from everyone, and she was going to die. _'I'm sorry.'_

Her paddling had slowed drastically and she was snorting out water almost as fast as it was coming in. Then she saw something headed her way.

It was all she had left but she started paddling again as hard as she could. Maybe she could just reach it. Her tears were starting to block her vision but it was out there. It was still so far away.

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Joanne was getting closer but kept picking up the binoculars to look at the bear but also to see just how far out she still was. However, she was not liking what she was seeing. But there wasn't anything she could do about it.

The motor was so small and it only went so fast. Her wishing and trying to will it to go faster got her nowhere. Finally she was close enough that she gave up using the binoculars. The bear was floundering and was starting to cease even trying to swim.

It appeared to come and go in starts. It would start to drown and then start paddling only to stop again. It was driving Joanne insane; she was _so_ close. It needed to just keep swimming a little longer.

Then she saw it go under again. Only this time it didn't come back up fast enough. "NO! NOT NOW!" She really didn't know how she was going to do this but she took off her shoes, jumped in, and swam as hard as she could in order to reach it.

She didn't see it so she dove and saw it starting to float down. It was already deeper than she liked. Joanne kicked hard to reach the bear. She grabbed hold of a leg and started swimming for the surface.

The bear was basically a dead weight and it had her kicking hard while towing the bear behind her.

Breaking the surface, she forced the bear's head above the water. "Come on, don't give up on me now. Not now." Joanne tried slapping its face to get it to at least blink its eyes. Its mouth and nose were just too big to even begin to think about mouth to mouth.

Then she felt it. _"You're a shifter_ _!_ _"_ That sudden information shocked her but it gave her new strength to keep trying. "Come on shift for me. Change to being human." Joanne knew how to save a human even if it was also a Bear.

She got no response, however, so she decided on something more drastic and took the bears nose in her mouth and bit down on it, hard. She was rewarded with it beginning to cough up water. "Shift for me. Are you listening? I've got you but you need to shift for me." Joanne hoped it was conscious enough to do as she asked.

A moment later Joanne was shocked out of her mind. " **ALEXIS!** What the hell! How did you...?" Joanne wrapped an arm around her and started towing her back to the boat.

Pushing an unconscious child into the boat turned out to be far easier then getting a bear into the boat.

Once in the boat Joanne looked her over, saw that she was breathing normally, and was simply unconscious. Joanne's clothes were wet but she took some off, wrung them out, and covered Alexis with them. Turning the boat around she headed back towards the helicopter filled with a million questions.

It seemed to take forever till she finally reached the shore. She picked up Alexis and carried her into the helicopter. She placed her down on the floor and broke out a light thermal blanket. She also grabbed a pair of oversized overalls for her that were meant for doing maintenance and worked at getting them on Alexis followed by wrapping her up in the blanket.

Leaving her on the floor, Joanne climbed into her seat. "Jessica, Mark, do you copy?" Joanne called out three times.

"Joanne, we copy. Where are you now?" Jessica assumed that she would simply rest for a few minutes before taking off again to chase the Dracolich down.

"Still at the lake. I just fished Alexis out of the water," Joanne told her and got nothing in response. "Jessica, do you copy?"

"You have Alexis with you, in Minnesota? What in the world is she doing there?" Jessica was full of questions. Mark came back from using the bathroom and only caught the last part.

"I have no idea. There was a huge splash into the lake and I saw a small bear swimming so I went out to get it. What I found was Alexis drowning in the lake. She's fine, a little cold, but fine."

Again Jessica was silent for a time. "Are you coming back with her or keeping her?"

This time it was Joanne's turn to be silent while she considered her options. "I'm going to keep her and stay on mission. I'm down to one video missile and a few thousand rounds. Maybe it will be enough." Joanne doubted it, but what else could she do.

"Wait one minute," Jessica responded back quickly. While she waited Joanne kept her eyes on Alexis and then Serena who didn't look any different. She had a comatose lover and a cold and unconscious child. Not to mention that she was chilled herself. She was going to have to get out of her wet clothes soon and into the other set of coveralls.

"Joanne, write this down; I'll wait," Jessica suddenly announced. Joanne scrambled for something to write with and on. "Land at these coordinates. ...It's on East Jackson Street along the Mahoning River just outside Lowelville, Ohio. According to Sarah, they are a small shifter family of wolves that should have access to additional missiles that you could use. Sarah is calling to alert them of your coming and what you will need.

It might also be a good place to leave Alexis and or Serena behind. They'll take good care of them. And it may be a good place to get some sleep while they rearm you."

"Have you seen Kate, Rick, or anyone else?" Joanne inquired since Alexis got out there somehow.

"We haven't seen anyone. Be advised that in addition to Alexis, Sam, and even Ava are MIA as well," Mark advised her.

Joanne's jaw dropped. Just what was it with this family? "Understood, I will keep my eyes open. Since I'm awake, I'm leaving now. Thanks for the assist." She shut down the radio and moved into the back to secure Alexis into place just like Serena was.

Now dressed in coveralls though her hair was still wet, she went through her checklist before starting the engines and taking off while watching people from the house rush out to watch. She wondered why none of them ever came her way to find out who she was.

"Maybe it's the helicopter itself," she speculated. After all, it did look like a military combat aircraft. It was certainly armed like one.

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Kate was in pain as she flew and found that she was doing more of the flying this time. _'You can't fly straight home. The place will be filled with contractors soon_ _,_ _'_ Rick reminded her. She moaned. All she really wanted to do was land, shift, and go to bed after getting clean.

' _You have to rest and heal as a_ _D_ _ragon_ _,_ _Kate. I can help you again tomorrow, so land where we play as a family_ _,_ _'_ Rick told her gently. He was doing his best to take care of his mate. She hated the idea but apparently he was thinking more clearly than she was.

' _You need to stay a_ _D_ _ragon so that you_ _'_ _ll heal faster. If you shift to being human_ _,_ _you might go into shock and end up in the hospital undergoing emergency surgery.'_ If she shifted,Kate would keep the injuries she had sustained, only they would be human injuries. Serious human injuries.

Still flying, she faltered a little before righting herself. _"What about the girls? How do I nurse them?'_ As a Dragon she didn't have breasts filled with milk for her babies.

' _We'll think of something. You still have a number of bottles in the refrigerator_ _and some in the freezer_ _. Maybe Andrea knows someone who can help.'_ It was all Rick had. _'Or maybe Serena knows someone like your OB_ _/_ _GYN in Rapid City.'_ He was searching for anything or anyone that would help his mate.


	33. Chapter 33

**Evil Eyes 33**

Kate more crashed than actually landed. When she felt Rick fall off of her, she whipped her head around to look at him. He didn't look bad till she noticed and smelled the blood that was dripping out of his mouth.

 _'_ _BABE! You didn't tell me you were hurt.'_ She felt her heart break. She knew she needed to help him and reached out a long, sharp talon to touch him, only to see him back away from her.

Rick stopped her and backed up even a little farther which caused Kate to hurt still more, just for a different reason. _'Save your strength,_ _love. Y_ _ou're hurt worse th_ _a_ _n I am. I'll be fine_ _, I_ _just need to rest as a_ _B_ _ear.'_

' _Now what?'_ She had no idea what to do. No one knew they were out here. The two of them were alone and in pain.

Rick only knew one answer and that was to rest till one or both of them could make it to the house. _'It's daylight_ _;_ _we wait for darkness. Plus that fight likely didn't go unnoticed._ _Someone had to have seen it._ _'_ He was truly afraid that their secret had been revealed.

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Jessica was gratified when she saw three Mountain Lions loping in her direction just as the sun was coming up. She was so very grateful that everyone was alive and relieved that they were going to make it home before the contractors started showing up.

Before shifting back to humans, they went padding off to find a robe or clothes to put on since it was a little cool. It was several minutes later when Jessica watched the first one walk her way.

She spoke quickly, telling Miles what she knew. "I had what I think was Kate on radar for a short time. It looked like she landed out that way. Joanne's chasing down the Dracolich which flew off for an unknown reason. And even more strange, she fished Alexis out of a lake in Minnesota."

"Oh, and Ava and Sam are still MIA," she added. Then she had to repeat it all to Kim and Mark when they showed up.

The look of a thousand questions was on Kim and Miles's faces, however, they said only one thing. "We'll go find her," Kim said at almost the same time as Miles.

Kim _had_ tohug her now fiancé yet again. She had asked him the second she caught up to him and wrapped her arms around him and kissed him for all she was worth.

Jessica snatched Kim's hand and held it where she could see it more closely. "What's this?"

Kimberly smiled shyly. "I asked him to marry me after I found him. He gave it to me just a moment ago." Now she smiled widely and held up her hand to see it on her finger yet again.

Jessica was thrilled for Kim and then turned her attention to Miles.

"I had planned on asking her after all this was over. She simply beat me to it," Miles insisted, defending himself. He was the shyest person either of them knew. He was brave in some things like risking his life, just not in risking his heart. He was also a little bumbling in relationships but Kim knew he loved her completely.

Kim was used to how he thought and recognized that he wanted off this topic, so she gave him an out. She dropped her robe to expose her body that always got a reaction out of Miles. "Let's go find us a Dragon then." Kim quickly shifted and waited for Miles to do the same.

Together they ran off in the direction that Jess had given them.

And Jessica stood there glaring at Mark. Mark quickly swallowed hard. "I think I'll help them. Just be here when I get back, I have a question for you." And Mark dropped his clothes and shifted to chase off after the other two.

It left Jessica hopeful that it was the question she already had an answer for.

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Sam's eyes snapped open at each and every little sound. She watched the middle of the lake start to bubble up hours later just as the sun was finally going down. The second she spotted the color purple she shot out over the lake and flitted all around Ava's head. The trick was to figure out what they could do now. Neither could talk like this. So Sam fluttered over to the bank of the lake where she shifted and patiently waited while Ava swam her direction.

"I know what it is and where it is. It will save Mom and Dad, but it's a long ways." Sam actually had no idea just how far away, just that the Unseelie knew it was a long ways away. She could see it and exactly where it was in her mind, though.

Sam didn't know what to do next but watched as Ava bowed her head down in front of her until her chin touched the ground. It was enough for Sam as she shifted and flitted around a little before landing on Ava.

A moment later Ava was running and flapping till she was airborne yet again and worked at gaining a lot of altitude. She didn't know how far it was, either. It was just that gliding was less strenuous for her. Fortunately for her, she'd done a little fishing while in the lake so she wasn't all that hungry anymore. All that flying had left her starving and her Dragon seemed to know what to do to solve that problem.

Ava had closed her eyes as she snapped up a school of fish after fish. But only moments later she was hungry again.

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Joanne had a comatose lover and a sleeping child in her helicopter. Both left her with a lot of questions. However, her primary problem was what to do next. The sun was up and she had no real idea what to do.

An alert drew her attention to her screen. Most of the diamonds had already been identified thanks to their transponders, but this one came up blank. "Little far north for a drug runner." Joanne began checking off a list of what it could be.

"Don't think they use aircraft to run white lightning." She checked off another possibility. "FBI maybe, CIA even." She started grasping at straws.

"Well, you're roughly going the same direction, let's just see who you are." Joanne made a decision and altered her course just a little when suddenly a new diamond showed up on her screen behind her.

She silently cursed her luck. "Oh, swell, the dead Dragon's airborne." Through all of this she had learned to read what the dead Dragon looked like on her screen. Of course, to anyone else they all looked the same. And she was using deductive reasoning since it came from the lake from out of she had fished Alexis.

She turned her head to look at the strapped in Alexis. "You were with the dead Dragon?" It generated more questions than it answered. "If that Unseelie can't affect me, it can't affect you, so why were you working with it?" Joanne didn't see how that was possible, but it did fit what little she now knew.

"Say again, Jess." Joanne had missed most of what the Mountain Lion shifter had said while she reflected on what was happening around her.

"Miles and Kim are headed for the site where we think Kate landed at after moving. No sign of Rick, Ava, or Sam. Where are you now and how are Alexis and Serena?" Jess and even Mark were dying for news.

Joanne turned her head to take a quick peek. "Both are strapped in. Alexis is sleeping while Serena remains unchanged." That alone made her heart sink.

Jessica had something that raised Joanne's spirits though. "Sarah has a theory about that. Since an Unseelie did it to her and most everything they do is mental, she surmises that a Seelie can counter that. You just need to find a Seelie."

Her spirits instantly spiraled back down. _'Great! How do I find a_ _S_ _eelie?'_

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Rick and Kate were resting. He was leaning up next to one of her large claws. Both were silent since there wasn't anything they had to really talk about. Especially since they were thinking the same thing, _'What had happened to their family?'_

Kate's Dragon hadn't said a word and she was terribly worried that the defeat at the hands of the Dracolich had been too much for her. _'How old was that Dracolich?'_ She needed her Dragon to regain her confidence. _'And did you recognize it?'_

' _Adult to young adult. Maybe 101 to 400 years old_ _,_ _'_ _w_ as the answer Kate got back. _"The skeleton was black._ _No, I do not know it._ _'_

Kate knew she was a juvenile which was the 26 - 50 year range. It meant that thing might easily be twice her age. That helped explain why it was close to twice her size or so it had felt when it was on top of her.

' _Black. ...Dad was_ _B_ _lack_ _,_ _or so_ _M_ _om said.'_ She really didn't want to go there. But was it possible? _'No_ _, D_ _ad died in a traffic accident.'_ Black Dragons were in her family history, though. If she had another child, it was possible that it might be Black or White which was also an indication of evil.

OH, HELL! She had passed the colors of her family to her children! And if Dragon genes were dominant, if her girls had children... there was a chance they could give birth to an evil Dragon. _'Start the civil war all over again?'_ Kate was deeply concerned. What had she done to her family's future just so she could have her own family?

Rick had heard every word and was about to counter what Kate was thinking. However, the sound of twigs cracking and leaves rustling put them both on alert as each raised their head to look that way.

It quickly became silent again which had both of them listening and sniffing the air. What they detected had them getting ready to defend themselves. Even though Kate didn't know if she could fight, she at least got up. It also didn't escape her notice that she was completely in charge. Her internal Dragon was still shut down.

' _There are two_ _,_ _babe.'_ She could sense both of them even if she couldn't see them yet. She got ready to spit a fire bomb at one of them like she had done to get into Jackson Hunt's safe. A period of time that felt long ago but was barely two years in the past.

Rick spat blood as he got ready to charge. The action actually caused a little pain that he tried his best to conceal from his mate.

Kate was all set to spit when she saw that it was a Mountain Lion. _'_ _Rick_ _, wait!'_ She decided to take a chance. She was soon rewarded when she saw hers swiftly change into a naked Kimberly who had a Mountain Lion bound up next to her.

"We've been looking for you two. Our radar showed that you landed near here." Kimberly slowly walked towards Kate while Miles stayed a Mountain Lion and remained right at her side.

She saw the blood on Rick's mouth and the look of pain on Kate's Dragon face. "Don't shift. I'll do the talking." Kimberly knew that if they remained as their beasts, they would heal faster.

"I'll start with the good news. ...The Dracolich has flown off for an unknown reason. It's presently in Minnesota and is headed east. Joanne is following in the helicopter. She has already refueled and will be landing in Ohio shortly to rearm and then continue the chase. Based on its actions, we believe it to be hurt, possibly hurt badly." Kimberly paused to let that soak in before giving them the bad news.

Both Kate and Rick were glad it was gone, but was it flying off to heal only to come back and finish the job?

"Now for the bad news. Well, not all bad news." A slight smile ghosted across Kim's face. "During the fight, Alexis, Sam, and even Ava got away from Allison and Thompson. Based on what we now know, it appears that Alexis managed to reach the Dracolich. Just what she did is a mystery."

Kate almost collapsed as she felt her legs weaken. Her heart sank to the middle of the earth. _'NO, she wouldn't!'_ Rick's legs did collapse and the sudden fall only aggravated his injuries further.

"Alexis is fine, however. She's with Joanne in the helicopter. Believe it or not, Joanne fished Alexis out of a lake in Minnesota just as she was drowning."

The fact that Alexis was fine made both of them feel better, but it left a question. ' _MINNESOTA!? ...What the hell was she doing in Minnesota?'_ Kate really wanted answers and had questions. _'How did she get to Minnesota? Drowning?'_

"Unfortunately, there's more bad news. Serena has been zapped by an Unseelie and according to Joanne, is completely unresponsive. Joanne also killed one of them with the mini-gun that's on the helicopter. It leads us to believe that there were actually three of them. The description does not completely match the one that got away from you earlier," Kim added.

' _Okay, that's both bad and good. Please tell me there isn't more bad news. ...Wait you said Sam and Ava!'_ Kate leaned her head down to Kim and was a mere fraction of an inch away. _'Where are Sam and Ava?'_ was her silent question.

Kim could feel the Dragon's breath blowing over and past her. It was actually rather scary to have a Dragon's head filled with teeth that close. "Please don't eat me... We, ah... we have no idea where Sam and Ava presently are located," Kim squeeked out then squeezed her eyes closed so she didn't have to watch herself being swallowed whole and ending up in Kate's stomach.

A sudden thudding sound had her opening her eyes as she saw the rest of Kate's body collapse onto the ground. _'OH GOD!'_ Kate quickly found out that Dragons could actually shed tears. _'What else could go wrong?'_

Rick found his legs and stepped slowly up next to Miles who, even as a large Mountain Lion, was puny compared to his Bear. _'Aileen and Aurelia?'_ Rick asked his question and wished he could risk shifting to communicate.

"If this is you asking about the twins, Allison and Thompson have them in the house. I was told that both did shift for a short time. However, they are human babies at the moment and are perfectly safe. Our clan has the house surrounded and a pair of Bobcats are presently sitting outside as well.

Our clan leader is headed for Andrea to try and obtain still more help. A Golden Eagle and a Turkey Vulture shifter are also going with her. The Eagles and Turkey Vultures are out searching the area for Sam and Ava. Hopefully they haven't managed to get as far away as Alexis did.

Sarah is also getting others from all over to keep their eyes open for the Dracolich as well as Sam and Ava." Thankfully not all of what Kim had to tell them was bad news.

Rick sat down and turned to look at his mate. He had questions but didn't know just what to do.

"What can we get you two?" Kim asked them. She watched the huge Bear use a paw to motion at his mouth. _"OF COURSE!_ You're shifters who have expended a lot of energy. You're probably starving. I'm _so_ sorry I didn't think of it sooner." Kim was ready to slap herself silly. "We'll bring as much as we can. We'll try and fill the back of your Jeep and drive it back out here. Then we'll do it again as often as we have to.

How badly are you two hurt? ...Sorry, that was stupid. Are you both or either injured badly. One for yes, two for no," Kim suggested. Rick hit the ground once with a paw.

"We'll get Sarah to search for someone who can help you. It's likely that the Kodiak community will be the closest who might have a healer. I will pass that request along to the others.

Do you plan on staying here?" Kim pointed to the ground meaning right there exactly and was rewarded with Rick using his paw once. "We'll be back. It will probably take a few hours but we _will_ return before it gets dark. I give you my word. Just rest and try not to use much energy." Kim shifted back into her Mountain Lion and they both ran off.

' _God_ _,_ _babe!'_ Kate let her head fall to the ground and could actually feel her Dragon weeping now. Rick moved over to hug her head. It didn't help; Kate's heart continued to break. She really did want to shift so that her husband could hug her and take the pain away.

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The sun had finally disappeared below the horizon and it was dark again. So Joanne switched from video to night vision as she followed her readings on her intercept of the unknown that was still traveling east and a little north. She was gaining ground on whatever it was.

As she flew, she wondered yet again if this was a good idea. She still had to land in Ohio to rearm and maybe leave these two behind since they had no business being in a potential combat situation.

She had to make a choice. Change course for Ohio or stay on intercept with the unknown. Ultimately it was the need for more weapons that had her changing course. First she speculated on where her unknown might be going.

Its course was perplexing. It wasn't in a direct line with any airfield that she knew anything about. She was back to wondering if it really was a drug runner. It wasn't jet fast, however, it wasn't flying low to avoid radar, either. Her own stealth system appeared to be working as advertised.

Joanne shook her head and changed course. Only having the one video missile and a few thousand rounds made the choice for her. "This needs to be quick." A quick look at the last location of the Dracolich showed that it was behind her somewhere. She had time.

It only took a few moments as she cruised into the location given just above tree top. There were almost no lights in the area which told her this place was rather remote with few neighbors.

Joanne was actually interested in what she would find. This would be her first meeting with Wolf shifters. She had talked about them with Serena and had seen pictures compliments of Sarah.

Her questions to Jessica and the others had confirmed her decision not to tell them about Serena's condition. It would show weakness. Equally, she had no intention of leaving Alexis with them, either. Nor was she planning on sleeping there for even a moment. She would get her weapons and leave again with as little interaction as possible.

Joanne was just powering down when she spotted truck lights headed her way. It was obviously a bumpy ride considering the bouncing of the lights.

She was outside with the doors closed, waiting. It turned out to be a hunk of junk panel truck, but her ears told her that the engine at least and possibly the transmission as well, were in perfect shape. _'A wolf in sheep's clothing.'_ Joanne started grinning. This group was not to be underestimated. Since she needed their help she left her weapons inside the helicopter.

The driver got out and headed for the rear door while his passenger exited and simply waited which piqued her curiosity. They were efficient and she watched as two pairs of men each carried a single missile and headed for one of her pylons on which to attach it.

Joanne watched them attach it and noticed that it wasn't a video missile like the ones she was using. Not exactly, anyway. They _were_ Hellfire missiles, AGM-114K Hellfire II and they had a rudimentary video capability even if they weren't guided like hers.

They had three of them and they all got back into their truck while the passenger just stood there surveying everything that happened. Suddenly Joanne felt something. Hairs on the back of her neck were standing which had her looking around as she started to think about shifting.

Suddenly a pair of Wolves came running in from her either flank, ran past the van, and disappeared into the night. The passenger gave a hint of a wave before getting back into the van. Joanne knew they had already been paid for the missiles. Just over $80 K each which was above average cost but they had been desperate so they paid it.

Watching them drive away allowed her to relax a little. "No interaction at all." She wondered if that was for their benefit or hers.

In moments Joanne was going through her checklist to start all systems back up after ascertaining that the new missiles had been mounted correctly and that they would release when activated.

It came as no surprise that after getting airborne, she saw her earlier contact that was now several miles out in front of her. Then a sudden beeping got her attention. "So there you are." She was betting this new contact was the Dracolich.

A moment later Joanne nearly jumped out of her skin when there was a tap on her rear left shoulder.


	34. Chapter 34

**Evil Eyes 34**

Joanne's head snapped around so fast that the helicopter started to spin out of control because of it. She quickly turned her head back, focusing straightening out the aircraft. Then she slowly looked behind her and found a shy, smiling Alexis staring at her.

She could see that the girl was talking, but with the noise of the helicopter and the headset she was wearing, she couldn't hear a word. Joanne set the controls, tapped the seat next to her a couple of times, then checked to make sure the controls on that side were indeed dead. She didn't want a Dracolich sympathizer crashing them.

Alexis took her time, doing her best to not touch anything as she climbed into the seat. The restraint harness was too big for her so Joanne didn't try to strap her in. She did, however, reach over and hold out a headset for her to put on.

Joanne motioned for Alexis to put it on her head like hers was. She found it rather cute as a small child wearing overalls that were far too big for her was sitting in a seat that was also too big for her and was putting a headset that was, like the other things, too big for her.

She forgot for a moment that Alexis was a potential enemy. Joanne spoke into her mic. "Can you hear me?"

At first Alexis started to nod her head, but all that did was allow the headset to start to fall off of her, forcing her to quickly grab it and put it back into place. "Yes," she answered, all the while never taking her eyes off of Joanne.

"How did you end up in a lake?"

"I... we just wanted to help. It had Mom on the ground and was going to hurt her." Alexis began looking at her hands that were cradled in her lap. Her lip quivered briefly then her chin came up. "I'm a brave Bear!" she stated with more conviction.

"And what did you do?" Joanne still wasn't sure what to think.

"I jumped and used my claws to attack it. I ended up inside it so I attacked it and hurt its eye. Then it tried to shake me loose but that didn't work." Alexis paused as she tried to think about what had happened and when. She condensed it down to simple episodes. "Then we were flying. ...It was scary," she explained, "but I kept attacking it. Then it crashed into water and I had to swim. It was hard and I was so tired."

Alexis turned her head to look at Joanne. "Did you save me?" Alexis had no idea how she ended up in the helicopter. She was happy to be there but didn't understand how she got there.

"I fished you out of the lake; you were having trouble swimming." Joanne didn't want to scare her by talking about her drowning.

"Thank you." Alexis went back to looking at her hands. She was in trouble, she just knew it. Mom was going to be so mad at her, she was convinced of it.

"So you attacked the dead Dragon?" Joanne was still wrapping her mind around that part. A little Bear had attacked the most dangerous beast she had ever heard about.

"It was going to hurt my mom!" Alexis cried out. ..."I'm a brave Bear," she insisted defensively with a little more conviction.

"That you are, little one, that you are." Joanne chuckled softly. There was just something about that family. "You said 'we.' Who was the other person with you?"

"Sam. ...She sent me to Mom but she flew off a different direction. Do you know where she is?" Alexis still didn't understand why Sam hadn't gone with her. They were both going to go help their mother. At least that was the plan.

"I'm sorry, I don't know, Alexis."

"Where are we going?" Alexis tried to look out the window by lifting up to look over the instrument cluster.

"Sit down, sweetie, it's safer." Joanne watched her suddenly plop back down in the seat with a look on her face like she was afraid she'd done something wrong. "The Dragon's headed east, so, so am I. It's going somewhere and I want to know where. I'll try and kill it if I can."

"Oh...can I help? I'm a brave Bear, you know." Alexis was willing to attack the Dragon again. After all, except for getting wet, nothing bad had really happened to her.

"We'll have to see." Joanne pressed a button on her stick. "Say again, Jess." She had missed most of what Jessica had said.

"Kim and Miles have found Kate and Rick. Both are badly hurt, Kate more than Rick. Kim said that her tail looked like someone had tried to remove it.

Mark has alerted Jonathan who's going to fly to the Kodiak Community to ask for a healer. Kim has a wild idea and is headed to Johanna and Oscar's. They want to borrow his horse trailer to try and find some cows to buy and feed to Kate," Kim related.

" _ **MOM"S HURT?!**_ _"_ Alexis, who had heard every word, suddenly spoke up, sounding very concerned and quite upset.

"I take it you still have Alexis," Jessica chuckled. "Your mother will be fine, honey. She's just really hungry and needs food so she can feel better."

"Cows?" Joanne questioned.

"We need large animals for Kate's Dragon to eat. It was either that or horses or pigs. And since Oscar is a Horse shifter, we settled on cows." They hoped they could find a few and doubted that there was a pig farm anywhere near there.

They had also ruled out going into town and buying all the beef, pork, and turkey they could lay their hands on. It just wouldn't be enough. Even if the grocery store did have entire sides of beef in the cooler.

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Ava was getting really hungry again even though all she was doing was mostly gliding. She would occasionally flap her wings to maintain altitude. However, she had no idea where she was going. It was still dark and she was doing her best to avoid the places that had lots of lights showing. Her mother had made it very plain that she was not to be seen as her Dragon. It would be dangerous if people saw her as a Dragon.

She was coming up on a mountain range that she could just barely see in the distance. She began to turn to avoid it since she wanted to keep gliding and not work hard to go over it. But Sam wanted her to head right for it. She darted off of Ava and flitted all over. Then she shot off in the direction of the mountains before coming back, only to do it again.

It wasn't until Ava was headed the right direction again that Sam returned to Ava's back to ride and rest. It felt weird to just glide along like that. She really wanted to get out there and fly herself, but that was tiring and she trusted Ava. Ava had done a lot for her when she was hurting.

"Mom," Sam whispered softly. Kate was great and she considered her her new mother, but she still missed her parents and her brother.

Sam didn't know when it had happened, but she suddenly noticed that they were right over where they needed to go. She jumped off Ava, darted all over the place, then shot almost straight down in a spiral. It was time to save her mother – her new mother.

Ava almost missed it except Sam darted around her head before diving for the ground. Ava was afraid to even try to fly like that and didn't dare fly toward the ground very fast. She wasn't that confident in her flying ability yet.

It took time, but Sam was flitting all over the place as she approached a white, two-story house. It had a small porch, was old-looking, and really needed painted. She also noticed there was a large pond off in the distance behind it.

Sam started flitting around the patio, wondering how to get inside. Maybe an open window? She flew all around the building looking for a way in.

What she wanted was inside. She could even see it in her mind. The Unseelie had seen it and knew just where it was.

Sam was exasperated; she didn't see anyway inside. So she transformed into her human shape, stepped up to the front door, and tried to open it, only to find it locked. She was angry and tried to rattle the door open holding onto the doorknob. " **OPEN!** " Sam so wanted inside. A sudden loud sound caused her to turn to look behind her. She truly feared that it was the dead Dragon, but what she saw was Ava. "It's inside but I can't get the door open, it's locked." She really wasn't sure what Ava could do to help her.

Ava wasn't sure what to do, either, however, her Dragon had an idea. Soon she found herself breathing heavily. She felt her lungs filling with air and rapidly expelling it.

Sam was afraid Ava was sick and quickly transformed into her dragon. She fluttered over to Ava to see if she could help her.

Suddenly Sam was amazed when a massive amount of fire gouted from Ava's mouth and struck the front of the house. The sound was deafening. Wood broke into bits and windows shattered. The door was effectively gone as were all of the windows on that side. Sam was quite impressed and wondered if she could do that since she was a dragon, too.

Sam didn't waste a moment and flew for the opening and darted around all over once inside. It was in a back room just sitting there. She zoomed back there, transformed into her human shape, and reached for it. _**SHE HAD IT!**_ Now what did she do with it?

The Unseelie feared that it would be broken so she tried to break it. She quickly found that it was too strong for her. It looked flimsy but it was resistant to everything she tried.

Sam had one idea left. So she ran to the front doorway and went outside. "We need to break it to save Mom and Dad but it's too strong for me." Sam held out the item for Ava to see.

It was long, quite thin, had these silver hoops at even intervals, and had a large object on one end. It looked really fragile to her so she didn't understand why Sam couldn't just break it in her hands.

Still Ava was willing to give it a try, so she stretched out her neck, opened her mouth wide, and waited. Sam carefully put in Ava's mouth.

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Joanne had what she was sure was the dead Dragon and the unknown out in front of her. Stopping to get more weapons had obviously allowed the Dragon to get out in front of her. Still she was pleased that she was slowly gaining on it.

"Where are we going?" Alexis asked. She had resigned herself to just looking at the color screens in front of her and the ones in front of Joanne.

"This diamond is the Dragon; the diamond out in front of it is an unknown that I've been following. All of us appear to be going the same direction. The idea is to catch up to the Dragon and attack it with my missiles."

Joanne suddenly saw a pair of new diamonds that didn't have transponders associated with them. What had her concerned was that they were traveling very fast. "Fighter planes." Just what she didn't need. She was no match for F-15s armed with missiles. She could fool their missiles but she had nothing to fight back with save for a few thousand rounds of ammunition that would only last seconds. There were also three Hellfire missiles, but she was reserving those for the Dracolich.

Alexis had heard the words and started looking at the color screen to see if she could see them. "What's it doing?" Alexis pointed and got Joanne's attention.

What Joanne saw was the diamond out in front headed for ground, fast. Yet it also looked like a controlled descent to her. "It's landing on the mountain?" It didn't look like there was an airstrip anywhere near there.

"Jess, do you copy?" Joanne called out.

"I copy. The others are off trying to buy cows for Kate," she responded.

"I need you to try and find out if there are any private airstrips in the Catskills. I have a target out in front of the dead Dragon that looks to be landing." She really only cared about the Dragon but she was curious. If it was a smuggler maybe she could get two birds with one stone. Get the authorities into that area to pick him up.

"Wait one," Jessica replied. Joanne waited somewhat impatiently, still gaining on the dragon.

"There is Sha-Wan-Ga Valley Airport outside Bloomingburg, New York, that has an unpaved runway of 2,400 feet. But it was abandoned years ago. There's also Catskill Valley Airpark outside South Cairo, New York. It's a small airfield with a paved runway and a control tower. That's about it."

"Thanks Jess. I'll be engaging the Dragon in a few based on my closure speed." Joanne pulled up the coordinates for the first airstrip on her screen. "Okay, so you're not going to that one," she muttered to herself.

Suddenly the diamond that was the Dragon started a dangerous dive that was following the target out in front. "Both are going the same place?" Joanne didn't understand. But the Dragon appeared to be in a hurry, so, so was she. She began her nosedive to increase speed so she could get within range.

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Ava and Sam heard a loud sound as a sudden gust of wind stirred up a huge amount of dust and debris. Ava turned her head with the item still in her mouth.

What she saw scared her to death. It was a massive Dragon that was all bone. Its face looked funny and its back was blackened. It also had one angry glowing red eye. The shock and being frightened out of her wits caused her to close her mouth. Whatever the item was had easily snapped into two pieces. Then she tucked her wings in tight and started backing up between the house and the trees. Just looking at that thing had her heart almost pounding out of her chest.

What they saw and heard was a terrible scream as a sudden beam of blue light burst out of Ava's mouth and shot up into the night sky.

Sam started flitting around all over while Ava looked for a way to escape. But there was no room to run so she could get into the air and fly away. Plus the blue light streaming from her mouth had her frozen in terror.

They both saw the Dragon collapse onto the ground and just lay there. Ava opened her mouth and let the two pieces fall as she backed up and tried to put some distance between her and that massive bony Dragon.

However, it just laid there and did nothing. When suddenly, as she managed to squeeze herself between the house and a few trees, the area in and around the Dragon erupted in an explosion followed by two more that caused debris to fly everywhere.

Ava never did notice that Sam had landed on her head. They both watched as the dust settled and revealed that there were bones and shards of bone lying everywhere.

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He couldn't believe any of it. How had all of his plans failed so spectacularly? His fury at ever having placed any trust in that damn Unseelie had him fuming with absolute hatred. That accursed thing had gotten exactly what it had coming to it.

Up until yesterday everything had been so perfect. The humans had nothing that could threaten him. He was a _**D**_ _ **racolich**_ and was not remotely concerned about a few ships, submarines, or airplanes. Their weapons meant _nothing_ to him. The Dragon who had created him was a shifter and knew all about these weapons.

He actually had his future directly under him just yesterday. All he had to do was perform the spell and obtain the necessary parts from that young Dragon. He just needed its heart, a little blood that he was only to happy to spill, then to perform the ritual.

Taking over its body would allow him to live again. He would be able to taste blood once more, listen to the pathetic humans beg for their lives.

It should have been so easy.

His little campaign of terror had been amusing. He had watched sailors drown, planes crash, and ships sink into the ocean. Destroying that monument to uselessness on that tiny island had been immensely satisfying. He'd watched the human ants run for their lives as they screamed in terror, only to disintegrate under his breath weapon.

Even with all his fun, it had failed to draw out the Dragon that he wanted most. He had been forced to chase it down until finally it had confronted him. It was such a fool to think it could defeat him.

He hadn't counted on it having help, unfortunately. He was furious about that damn helicopter that had launched missiles at him. However, he was enraged that a giant Bear had had the audacity to attack him and rip off his jaw. Even now he was thinking of how he was going to find another dead Dragon body to transfer himself into so he could go back.

The maneuver that had allowed it to breathe on his back had been a surprise. Still it brought a thrill to the fight. His target was actually worthy of being killed and becoming his next life.

Now he was racing to rescue his very soul. Leaving the object that contained his soul and hiding it in plain sight had seemed like a such brilliant idea. Who would ever expect that his soul would be kept in such a mundane item and left where anyone could see it and touch it?

Of course he had considered hiding it deep in some cave. Placing it under a pile of rocks in the deepest part of the ocean, but this had had an appeal that had made him smile. Now he was regretting that choice.

Landing just outside of the house and finding a baby Dragon with the object in its mouth was a shock. It wasn't possible was it? A baby Amethyst Dragon couldn't possibly be his undoing. All that effort lost because of an infant.

He watched his essence shoot skyward and felt his soul, his life, his dreams go with it.

It left behind the soul of the shifter with whom he had shared the body. No, more like had held dominion over was more accurate. _'At last! I'm so sorry_ _,_ _honey, so very, very sorry.'_ He knew he had screwed up and could only pray that he hadn't done anything to his family.

He had spent his life fighting his evil nature. He loved his wife and his family, he truly did. Just that when he had died in that stupid accident, he had made a deal. A bad one it had turned out.

' _Oh, god, p_ _lease don't hate me. I love you, both of you_ _, so much_ _.'_ And his soul drifted away to where all souls go.

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Using the helicopter's night vision, Joanne watched the Dragon make a dangerous descent that looked to be headed for a small building that she assumed was a house. She was quite surprised when she saw a small Dragon but couldn't tell what color it was.

"That's Ava!" Alexis shrieked as she pointed at the screen. She had seen her sister's Dragon countless times and knew what Ava looked like even if she couldn't see her color.

Joanne quickly looked at Alexis and could tell that she was serious so she accepted what she was saying as truth.

The Dracolich landed hard in what she took to be the driveway. That was quickly followed by seeing a brilliant blue light shoot up into the night sky going right past them by several yards. "What the hell..." Joanne had no idea what that was.

She kept her eyes locked on her screen and saw Ava backing up. "Just a little farther, honey, just a little farther." Ava needed to get out of the way.

"Fox One, ...Fox Two, ...Fox Three." Joanne pressed the button on her controls and launched all three of her recently acquired Hellfire missiles and they watched them hit the area where the bony Dragon was laying. Her night vision saw through the debris cloud and they both watched as pieces of the Dragon burst away in various directions.

"Did you kill it?" Alexis asked softly. She understood death, sort of. Mostly she just knew the Dragon needed to stop attacking her family.

"I don't know. I'm going to go find out." Joanne decided to risk it since it looked like those shots had done a lot of damage that her other shots hadn't been able to do. Which was a worrisome conundrum.

Joanne left the engine running as she unbuckled her harness and started to open the door, only to see Alexis trying to get out. "Stay there, Alexis. We may need to suddenly lift off. And I really need you to guard Serena, to keep her safe for me." She could see the conflict play across Alexis's face, however, she sat down in her seat.

Joanne opened the side door, got in, and secured a weapon. If the Dragon was still alive, or dead-alive, her weapon was most likely worthless. Still she felt better having one in her hand.

It had been a tight fit when she landed up the road leading into the site and the helicopter's rotor blades had hacked more than a couple of trees while descending. But those same trees gave her cover as she moved forward.

She darted across the road after creeping closer. What she saw was Ava poking her nose into a section of bone that was still mostly intact. Sam was flitting around all over the place. She even raced toward Joanne, circled her a couple of times only to zoom back toward Ava.

Eventually Joanne got close enough to poke her own pile of bones with her weapon. "I'll be damned." After all this time and all this devastation, it was finally dead after taking damage from three Hellfire missiles.

Joanne reached up and tapped her earpiece. "Jess, do you copy?" It was imperative that she share the news.

"I copy. Kim, Miles, and Mark are headed for Kate after purchasing a number of milk cows. Where are you?"

"A cabin in the Catskills. The Dracolich is dead. Soon as I get the binoculars out I'll connect it to download a visual," Joanne advised her.

"Say again?" Jessica all but collapsed; she couldn't believe what she was hearing. "Seriously!?" she whispered. It was too good to be true. "How?" They had thrown everything at it and it was finally dead.

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They couldn't sleep; the pain each of them felt kept them awake. It had also kept them silent. It was maybe an hour till dark when they heard the labored rumble of a car engine.

Neither of them saw a thing. _'_ _Maybe it's_ _Kim and the others_ _,_ _'_ Kate thought hopefully; she was tired and still in pain, not to mention starving. A moment later the noise stopped and she sniffed the air. That only caused her stomach to grumble even louder as her hunger pains made themselves known.

A moment later a Mountain Lion came bounding in and shifted into a naked Kim. "Sorry for being late, but it wasn't easy to get what we thought you needed. And I'm sorry for who came with us; they didn't give us a choice." She desperately hoped Kate didn't eat her for this.

It took a few minutes, but her mother came walking into the clearing carrying Aiden with her. _'MOM!'_ Kate couldn't believe it. Why had Kim brought her mother?

"Oh, sweetheart!" Johanna could see the pain on her daughter's face even if it was a Dragon's face.

All at once everyone's attention was centered on Aiden. Johanna was forced to drop him since he suddenly became too big and too heavy to carry.


	35. Chapter 35

**Evil Eyes 35**

Kate's stomach, along with Rick's, had stopped rumbling even though they were both still a little bit hungry. She had closed her eyes and let her Dragon eat, practically devouring each cow whole that Miles and Mark brought within range of her. She ate one after the other till they were all gone.

They had actually gone to the grocery store and had bought cuts of meat for Rick since they were easier for him to eat. They had been told that the other shifters would be back in a couple of days after they secured more cows for Kate.

Johanna had assured her that the twins would be fine. "I swear you were the most finicky baby. I'm sure Aileen and Aurelia will be fine. They're doing great with the gradual switch over to formula. After all, I got you to eat so I can do the same for them. And besides, I have Allison and Thom to lend a hand." She just knew Kate would be worrying about both of them.

Kate was presently resting with her husband curled up against her. _'That was so embarrassing.'_ She was sure she would never live that down.

Aidan had struggled to even stand at first and was desperate to get his legs under him so he could run. There was a monstrously huge Dragon with a mouth full of teeth just feet away from him and his mother.

Kate was still reliving the nightmare that her own brother had been terrified of her. She'd watched her mother try and hold him in place while he struggled to get his legs under him. All the while Johanna had softly cooed at him that the Dragon was his sister. That he had seen her countless times.

It wasn't just his desire to get away that had hurt. He had started crying out from his overwhelming fear. The sounds her own brother had made were still playing in her mind, over and over again, his absolute terror of her.

Oscar had arrived and taken over; he'd actually carried him away while still a Foal, a baby Horse. Kate did have to admit that he was beautiful. All soft gold with a solid white mane and tail along with all white feet that almost made it up to his knees. He was a palomino was what Oscar had said.

' _He_ _'_ _ll adapt Kate_ _, I promise_ _. It was_ _the_ _first time he_ _'d_ _ever seen you like this. If we add him to our family outings he_ _'_ _ll get used to you as a_ _D_ _ragon.'_ Rick did his best to twist and hug what he could. He was learning that his hugs had limitations. He had to hug the entire person, not just one large claw or paw, in Kate's case.

It had only reminded Rick that as big as he was, his wife was even bigger.

' _Give him another chance, he'll come around.'_ But all he heard was Kate moaning about the entire exchange. He tried mightily to get his hug power to work on her in her Dragon shape.

The sound of someone coming got their attention as Kate lifted up her head and Rick stepped away to be ready to rush whomever it was.

A Mountain Lion came bounding into view and quickly shifted into Kimberly. "I have news! Great news! The Dracolich is _dead,_ really, truly dead this time. Joanne blew it into bony little pieces." Kim started grinning. "Oh, and Alexis is with her as are Sam and Ava. The others are listening to the tale Joanne is telling regarding just what happened, but I thought you would want to know. Both Ava and Sam are fine. What little I stayed to hear indicates that both Ava and Sam are the reason it's dead.

I gotta go. Soon as I have the whole story I'll be back. Two days and we'll be back with more food for you. We're thinking of bringing your Jeep to bring a snack tomorrow." Kim quickly shifted and ran off.

Once again, Kate learned that a Dragon could actually cry. Only this time they were happy tears.

She saw Rick rear up on his hind legs; she bent down and let him hug her head. They both silently cried joyous, thankful tears.

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For the third time, Joanne was listening to just what Sam and Ava had done as seen through Sam's eyes since Ava couldn't talk as either a dragon nor yet as a human. She stood there holding what Ava had snapped into two pieces. She looked at it in disbelief. _'_ _ **This**_ _held_ _its_ _soul?'_ She was still trying to wrap her mind around that part.

"Okay, everyone into the helicopter. Let's get out of here before those F-15s figure out where we are." She worried that it was likely they already had a clue because of that blue light that had shot up into the night sky.

No sooner had Sam climbed into the back when she saw a body in restraints. "What's wrong with her?" She pointed at a still strapped down Serena.

"An Unseelie hit her with one of her spells." Joanne's heart still ached mightily as she stroked Serena's face, wishing that she would just wake up. It had to wear off eventually, right?

Sam saw the hurt look on Joanne's face and transformed. She had done it twice before, maybe she could do it again. She took to flitting around again and zapped Serena's foot with a sparkle-like effect.

The result was instantaneous. Serena reached to undo one of the straps, shot up to a sitting position, and wrapped her arms around Joanne. "OH, MY GOD!" Serena cried out and started crying as each squeezed the other tight.

She pulled back, cupped Joanne's face with her hands, and kissed her soundly. Breaking from the kiss, Serena wiped the tears from her face. "I could hear and see everything but couldn't do anything. I struggled and struggled." She couldn't speak for a moment and continued wiping her tears.

"It was..." Joanne interrupted her. "It was _HELL!"_ She kissed her before they both broke down crying.

"We need to go – right now; we have F-15s inbound," she warned. Serena immediately scrambled to undo the last strap and free her legs.

"Then let's get out of here." Serena swung her legs out but instead of the floor, her feet landed on something odd, something hard. "What's this?" She looked down at the small pile that was taking up space on the floor.

"Dracolich bones." Joanne knew she needed to tell her the story behind them but they didn't have the time at the moment. The look on Serena's face was priceless and Joanne smiled widely.

"We'll talk while flying. Find something for these two to wear and let's get out of here," Serena commanded. She moved toward the pilot's seat, but stopped.

She wrapped her arms around a naked Sam. "Thank you. Thank you so much. I owe you. Anything you want, just ask and it's yours." She dropped a kiss on the girl's head and climbed into the pilot's seat.

Serena didn't wait for Joanne to join her since it sounded like they didn't have the time.

Meanwhile Joanne shook out a pair of thin thermal blankets for Sam and Ava and got to work on keeping Ava in place. "You two watch her. Don't let her roll out and off and fall on the floor. You have an important job." Sam and Alexis nodded.

"Strap yourselves in next," Joanne told them and climbed into her seat.

Things quickly got back to normal with Serena flying virtually between trees to stay off the F-15s' radar or anyone else's for that matter, as Joanne used her screens. "Why were my controls dead?" Serena inquired, puzzled.

"Alexis was sitting there earlier," Joanne replied which suddenly made sense to Serena. "Now talk to me." Serena asked of her. Joanne knew she was good enough to concentrate on them not crashing while Jo talked.

"We're in New York?!" Serena suddenly noticed where they were. "Have we got the fuel to get back to the Rodgers home?" She scanned her screen.

"We have to stop in Rapid City first." Joanne then launched into what had happened since Serena got zapped.

"Both dead? Dracolich _and_ Unseelie?" Serena tried to understand how much had happened while she was trapped inside her own body.

Then Joanne filled her in on Kate and Rick's condition. "Sounds like they're going to be in their beast forms for a while. What about her job and the twins?" Serena saw problems still in their future.

"We need a plan." Joanne was hoping Serena could come up with one, but wasn't surprised in the least when Serena got in contact with Sarah and told the A.I. the parameters of her plan and what she needed from her. Joanne looked at her mate and beamed.

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It took a number of hours, a swap of pilots, along with a stop for fuel and another bathroom break, but they were finally landing outside of the Rodgers residence in their backyard just after sunset.

They were immediately met by Jessica, Mark, Kim, and Miles. They already knew everything and Serena was crushed by each of them followed by Sam getting hugs and kisses which made her blush brightly.

"We were just getting ready to drive the trailer back out to Kate and Rick if you want to come?" Kim invited, knowing they were desperate to see their parents .

" **YES!** "came from Alexis and Sam at the same time. Ava suddenly got squirmy, clapped her hands, and tried for her first word. All three were looking at Serena with expectations of being included.

"Have we got room for everyone?" was her only question. They were going to use the Expedition to tow the trailer driven by Oscar with Johanna, Aidan, Ava, Alexis, and Sam as passengers. The Jeep was also being taken with Serena, Joanne, Kim and Miles.

Sam and Alexis were bouncing after getting out of the Expedition while looking at everyone. "They're over that way a little ways." Johanna gave them a little push and chuckled when the two of them took off running.

Moments later, Kate lifted her head since she had heard the Expedition that should have a trailer full of food as promised. She felt bad having all these people helping her. She should be able to fend for herself. But she was stuck as a Dragon till she was healed enough to shift back.

It didn't help that her tail and even her back were still causing her pain. However, it was the sound that had her confused. _'What's coming babe?'_ It didn't sound right somehow.

Then suddenly Sam and Alexis burst into the clearing and ran straight for her. Kate put her massive head back down on the ground and accepted hugs from her girls. Once again she felt Dragon tears rolling down her face. It lifted her spirits into the stratosphere to have two of her girls hugging her.

She so wanted to hug and kiss them, but the best she could do was stick her tongue out and lick each of them. "Ewww, _MOM!"_ Sam complained and wiped the Dragon spit off her face only to go back to hugging her. Kate's heart was in the heavens. Sam had called her Mom and it sounded like she knew she was saying it! God, but she wanted to talk to both of them. Kate desperately wished she could change; she had so many questions that she couldn't ask.

Rick hadn't been left out, though. Alexis rushed over to him and let him envelope her in one of his special bear hugs that helped to take her pain and worry over her parents away.

The next person to come into view had Kate reaching out to within a inch of Serena as she glared at her and sniffed her. _'You're awake! HOW!?'_ This time it was Kate who wanted the story.

"You are definitely right Kim." Serena agreed somewhat nervously. She found that having giant Dragon head filled with teeth, mere inches away from her, was a bit intimidating.

Kate took exception to that. She snorted air at Serena and moved her head back to Sam so she could be hugged by her daughter.

"I'm sure you're full of questions, most of which are going to have to wait until you are healthy enough to shift safely. Sarah has informed me that there's a shifter who's a healer that we will be flying to pick up in the morning before your contractors show up. She should be able to help speed up your healing.

First off, it was Sam that we can both thank for getting me out of being frozen by that Unseelie. Definitely not an experience I _ever_ want to repeat. It was hell listening and seeing people you love and care about fussing over you. You can't get your own body to do what you want it to do." Serena felt Joanne wrap her arms around her from behind. The entire event had been painful for both of them.

"I'll come up with a way to thank Sam properly. I owe her a lot," Serena said. "We both do," Joanne added. Kate nudged Sam with her nose which caused a blush to bloom on Sam's cheeks as she laughed a little. She only knew she had to help her new mother. She still didn't really understand what she was doing when using any of her powers.

This was followed by Oscar carrying Aidan as a baby while Johanna had baby Ava in her arms. _'_ _ **AVA!**_ _'_ Kate reached out her head to nudge her baby girl who whacked her on the nose while trying to tap it. It barely registered and it was the greatest love tap Kate could remember ever getting. _"MA!"_ Ava babbled, as tears of joy rolled down Kate's face. Her baby girl had said her first word.

Rick walked over, reared up on his back legs, and reached out with his front paws to Johanna. She took that as a sign to hand over Ava to the giant paws of a Bear. Now it was Ava's turn to bury herself in her dad's arms, to let him hug her and help take any pain away.

Kim spoke up as the others began herding the first cow out of the trailer and tied it off for Kate to eat at her leisure. "We brought another six cows along with some more raw meat for you two when you're ready."

' _Our family is alive and well!'_ Kate didn't think she had ever been this happy in her life. This feeling was so encompassing that even her Dragon was crying. They had a future!

"I've got one more thing for you." Serena brought Kate and Rick out of their thoughts about their family. "If you're worried about your job, don't be. I've taken care of that small detail. You, Katherine Houghton Beckett-Rodgers, are presently on an assignment for the FBI and will not be back for at least a month. The government thanks you and them for the sacrifice," Serena informed her with a smile.

That bit of information only increased Kate's tears. Just how she'd gotten all these friends escaped her. What had she really done to deserve all this? She was determined to find a way to thank all of them the moment she was capable of doing so.

It was hours later and Kate had closed her eyes yet again as her Dragon reached out and almost swallowed each of the six cows whole. It didn't escape her ears that Sam and Alexis each expressed their disgust at watching their mother eat an entire cow.

Still they hugged her after she ate each one. It was the most they were going to get for days, if not weeks.

A while later Kate and Rick were alone in the clearing. It had taken a little convincing to get Alexis and Sam to leave since they had really wanted to stay. _'How do we thank them_ _,_ _babe? What would we be doing without them?'_

' _Sounds like a challenge and we both know how much I love a good challenge. I'll think of something.'_ It was a good thing they could "speak" to each other with their thoughts since Rick's mouth was currently full of raw meat that actually tasted pretty damn good. He had already been a Bear for longer than he ever had before at one time and was probably going to be for at least a few more days.

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Every two days Kim and the others showed up with another small herd of cows for Kate and still more raw meat for Rick. He was actually feeling better but didn't want to leave his wife, so he hid that fact from her and just ate what they brought.

True to Serena's word, she had flown out and brought back a healer that also just happened to be a black Bear living in a small shifter community on the eastern edge of South Dakota.

She had been given a room in the Rodgers house and had visited each time they brought Kate and Rick their food. And in just a week she was flown home by Serena and Joanne. After stopping in Rapid City to refuel again, they had just touched down and were met by Allison and Thompson.

"There is something you need to hear and something we need to discuss," Allison told them. They were soon both in the living room with everyone, but that didn't include any of the Rodgers children nor did it include Johanna or Oscar.

"We have a story for you that's quite difficult to believe, however, it fits all the facts as we know them," Kim began and handed over a single sheet of paper for Serena and Joanne to read.

Neither of them understood the significance of what it said. "Ava and Sam went to a home or cabin that was located in the Catskills. They were followed by the Dracolich. According to the story that was told by Sam, Ava broke an old fishing pole. A relic actually." Kim picked the two pieces off of the coffee table and handed them over.

Joanne recognized them instantly since Sam had brought them with her into the helicopter.

"When Ava bit it into two pieces, a brilliant blue light shot into the sky. We surmise that at this time the Dracolich was vulnerable to the missiles that you fired. It may have actually been already dead when the missiles hit their mark and blew it into pieces." Kim paused to let them absorb the incident as Joanne remembered it.

"That old fishing pole is what held its soul, if it ever truly had one. That house where that pole was sitting was owned by the person, or more precisely, the family on that piece of paper," Kim informed them.

Serena and Joanne looked at the paper again as realization dawned on them. The shock of it all was written all over their faces.

 _Property transfer report_

 _State of New York_

 _State Board of Property_

 _RP-5217NY_

 _County of_ _Schohaire_

 _Date of Deed:_ _July 20, 1982_

 _Location of Property_ _:_ _Hamlet of Breakabeen, town of Fulton_

 _Tax Billing address_ _:_ _1512 Mosley Street S.W._

 _Deed Property size_ _: 4.65 acres_

 _Seller Name - Moore, Edith_

 _One Family Residential_

 _Sale Information_ _:_ _ **$245,999**_

 _E - Deed type and warranty_

 _J - None_

 _Assessment Information - A5_

 _Name of purchaser – Beckett_ _, James and Beckett, Johanna_


	36. Chapter 36

**Evil Eyes 36**

It had been a very long three weeks. They had stopped bringing cows for Kate to eat and had switched to bringing them both snacks using the Jeep. It wasn't because she wasn't still hungry but because the rancher from whom they had bought the cows had no more that he was willing to sell. The last trip had been to a ranch near Rapid City to get the final herd of six.

Right now Kate was doing her best not to flinch in pain as the Expedition bounced its way across the field for the drive home. She was also doing her best to keep her backside off the seat. It felt like it was almost on fire.

Rick was immediately out of the Expedition once it had stopped. He hurried to the front passenger door, opened it, and carefully helped Kate out. Their arrival had not gone unnoticed as Midas and Maggie beat all of the others to them.

Both Kate and Rick were nuzzled and joyfully licked as they each switched who was going to pet them. Midas and Maggie also started whining and yipped little barks. They had missed both of them dearly. They were smiling wide while they did their best to pet each of them.

Next in line was Sam and Alexis; Sam took Kate and Alexis took her dad. "You're home," Alexis said in relief and did her best to hug her dad.

Kate held Sam close while very human tears rolled down her cheeks. It felt so good to have her in her arms. "How do you feel, Mom?" Sam quizzed her since she wanted to hear that she was perfect.

"Much better now. ...I still can't believe that we have you to thank for getting rid of the dead Dragon." Kate was quite amazed at that. Her Fae powers must really be something. Sam simply hid her blush by burying her face into her mom's shoulder.

Kate looked up and saw Allison with Aileen in her arms and Thom with Aurelia in his. Both were still in their human baby forms and were squirming mightily. Even though they were only four and a half months old, it was clear that they wanted their parents.

Who she didn't see was Ava but was happy to see her other children and could only guess where Ava was at the moment.

Kate took one while Rick took the other. Aileen got the most kisses as Kate was unwilling to stop. Allison beamed at her. "It is good to have you both home, ma'am."

"Thanks Allison." Kate hugged her with one arm while still holding her daughter. "I know Serena and the others are gone now. How have you two been? The twins haven't given you any trouble?" She was desperate to hear everything about her babies. Were they sleeping well? Had they started to roll over yet? Were they tolerating the change to formula?

Allison went on to answer every question Kate asked then assured her, "There was nothing that we could not handle. Your mother, Oscar, and Aidan will be over later since the restaurant is closed tonight. Thom and myself will be outside grilling since it is not that cold out yet. And Ava is presently sleeping after finally eating all of her food." Ava had been almost been on a hunger strike and Allison didn't need Kate to worry about her.

It was a small exaggeration since it was now late November and the temperatures at night had started to plummet. While they were in the clearing, Rick hadn't felt a thing with all of his fur. Kate had also barely noticed, however, she had realized that both of them could see their breath at night. Allison had even left them a lantern that they could use to get at least a little light to brighten the dark.

Sitting on the sectional quickly became a family hug session and Kate and Rick soon found themselves with children in their laps. Kate didn't even wince since having her family around her took her mind off of her pain.

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Either Aidan was too young to notice or he wasn't terrified of her anymore. Regardless, Kate was thrilled that she had been able to hold him for most of the evening. She spent that time trying to forget the reaction her brother had demonstrated while she was a Dragon. It still hurt but getting to hold him was helping.

"Now what, honey?" Johanna was curious. Kate sighed and thought about it. She wasn't quitting her job, that much was certain. "Well, right now we're still on for going to Disney right after Thanksgiving. I plan to go back to work next week even though it's right before the holiday. Serena gave me a month of time with the FBI to cover my absence." She still needed to think of a way to thank her for everything she'd done.

"How goes the construction, Mom?" It had been almost a month since Kate had seen their place.

"We've moved into the one bedroom apartment downstairs and the upstairs looks like a war zone. They stripped the place down to the studs. They even took walls out. Your kitchen is gone."

Oscar jumped into their conversation. "That place deserved to be gone," he stated firmly and nodded decisively to show it was definitely a good thing. Johanna chuckled softly at him.

"We're scheduled to get back upstairs in about six months thanks to winter." Johanna couldn't believe how long it was going to take.

"The first thing is to get all the electrical and plumbing in so the contractor can spray in the insulation and keep the interior warm for the construction workers. But you should see the barn." Oscar started smiling with pride.

"The only thing missing are the horses." He was more than happy with the barn/stables. "We just need our first delivery of hay and get it up into the attic." He already had oats and all of the equipment he would need.

Johanna shook her head. "Don't listen to him. He's already found two horses that he wants to get. You should see them, Katie. I've never seen a pair of horses so skinny in my life and still alive." Jo had seen the pictures and seeing them had broken her heart. How people could be that cruel was beyond her comprehension.

"They're going to need a lot of care, I'll admit. But I've got two volunteers who say that they'll help." Oscar grinned while looking at Alexis and Sam who both blushed a little and tried to hide behind their parents.

Both of them were spared from being teased when the front doorbell sounded. Kate got up off the sectional since she was only too willing to stand and get off her backside. It was back to feeling like it was on fire.

Opening it, she found a young woman who was maybe in her early 20s. "May I help you?" It suddenly struck Kate that she had seen her before. She was a server at AFTER DARK. "Do you need to speak with my mother or Oscar? They're just inside." She opened the door wide and allowed the young woman to come inside.

"Ziriadne!" Johanna wasn't expecting to see her especially since the restaurant was closed. "We aren't cleaning until next weekend," she reminded her, a bit perplexed as to why Ziri had shown up at her daughter's home.

"No ma'am, I'm aware of that and I'll be there. I actually came to see her." Ziriadne pointed directly at Sam. "I'd like the chance to talk with her, if you don't mind. Privately, please?"

Kate wasn't sure just what to think. She had seen her at AFTER DARK waiting tables, once even at their table. "May I ask why?" Her motherly concern was in full force. Not that she was afraid of her or that Sam couldn't handle her. Kate didn't detect that she was a shifter.

"Please, I just want to talk." Ziriadne tried to allay any fears they had.

"You can talk in the kitchen, I suppose. That is, if Sam agrees," Kate acquiesced, waving her hand at Sam.

Ziri actually started walking toward what she was sure was the kitchen and looked to see if Sam was following.

"It's okay, sweetheart, we'll all be right here." Kate was willing to let her go. After all, what could she do that they wouldn't hear?

It felt like forever. Everyone in the living room remained quiet as they all, especially Kate and Rick, did their best to try and hear something, ...anything.

Then Sam came charging out of the kitchen and headed straight for Kate. Ziriadne walked out of the kitchen and made her way to the front door. She gave a slight smile at Sam and saw herself out.

"Sam?" Kate wanted answers.

"She's a Seelie, Mom!" Sam smiled excitedly as she bounced. That news came as a shock to them all. It also stunned Johanna since she hadn't yet heard Sam call her daughter, _"Mom."_ It brought a pleased smile to her face.

Kate's head snapped around as the front door snicked shut. "Can you tell me what she said if it isn't a secret." She really wanted to know as likely all the others did.

"She escaped here to our world with her mom but they were separated and she doesn't know where her mom is." Sam felt bad about that. It reminded her that her own mother was gone. "She said she helped you, Mom. More than once." Sam was really happy about that part.

Kate opened her mouth to say something, trying to remember all the times she had seen what she thought was a Seelie. Then she closed her mouth only to open it again. "What's she going to do now?"

"She said she was going to stay and wait for her mom." Sam found herself being fiercely hugged by her mom. Kate had no doubt that Sam was still hurting from losing her mother and family.

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Joanne walked into the living room and plopped down next to Serena who was looking over a list of projects that she could take on to bring in more money. "The HVAC guy just left. He'll be back tomorrow to vacuum out the ductwork and clean all the dust and debris out of it. He did a little maintenance on the unit and replaced the gas igniters. Tomorrow's also the day for the solar energy tech to come out and check out all of our panels." Joanne got no response from Serena. "Are you even listening to me? What are you looking at?" She reached over to take the paper from her so she could look at it.

"There's one on the list that would keep us happy for quite a while, it's just that it's located in..."

Joanne interrupted her. "Hong Kong?!" What did any of them know about Hong Kong?

"The primary problem is where to get all the equipment we'll need," Serena pointed out. A smile blossomed on Joanne's face. Serena had said _, "_ _We_ _."_

' _I love you_ _, you know,_ _'_ Joanne said to her without actually speaking. That earned her a quick kiss. _'I love you_ _,_ _too_ _,_ _'_ Serena responded.

"I've got one more page for you to look at. This is just an idea, we don't have to do it." Serena handed over the other piece of paper. Joanne quickly scanned it; the more she read, the faster her heart beat.

"Adoption?!" Was Serena actually thinking about their future together and starting a family? "What about what we do?" Joanne's only worry was the business that they were all in. Did they have time for a family? What if the baby grew up to hate living out there away from everyone? After all, they didn't have neighbors for miles, which was what drew them all to this site in the first place.

"Look closer," Serena suggested, doing her best to hide her smile. Joanne studied it intently and read every word.

"Isn't Gale Devlin a shifter?" She recalled that name even if she didn't remember what type of shifter Gale was.

"So the baby or child will be," Serena replied quietly. "She specializes in placing shifters that have lost their parents."

Joanne didn't know what to say. She blinked back tears of joy that were part of her answer. The other part was hugging Serena for her thoughtfulness. "We could end up with any kind of shifter, you know," Serena cautioned.

"And we'll love him or her and teach him all we know," Joanne said fiercely then went back to hugging her.

A while later Joanne brought up a sticky topic since she was still conflicted about what they had done. "Are you sure we did the right thing?"

"Not meaning to bring up bad memories, but would you've rather _heard_ that your mother was dead instead of _seeing_ what you saw?" Serena could only imagine the pain of seeing her own mother, dead, broken, and stuffed into her wall safe.

"But it was her father. Yes, her mother's moved on and I can understand not telling her, but Kate strikes me as being stronger," Joanne argued her point again. She remembered the Kate Beckett, the determined, competent New York City Homicide detective that she'd met years before.

"And the pain of that knowledge and the pain of choosing not to tell her mother?" Serena argued back. All she could see was the potential for great anguish and overwhelming heartbreak if they told the Beckett family that their husband and father had tried to kill his own daughter. Whatever the reason had been. What or why had Jim Beckett chosen to do what he had done? Did they really need the pain of that knowledge?

Joanne let her head rest on Serena's shoulder. Serena tried a different tactic. "Would you tell our child that it came from an evil family? That his or her parents were criminals? Or worse?"

Joanne lifted her head to look at the love of her life. Was she really ready to be a mother? To make these kinds of choices for a child? She chose to rest her head back on her lover.

"All right," Joanne finally relented. Only they and their little family would ever know that Jim Beckett had lost his mind and become a dead terror that had decided to kill his own daughter. The only unanswered question was did he know that the Dragon he was attacking was his daughter?

Joanne lifted her head back up to look at her. "What do we do about all those people that he killed?" The news had been filled with innumerable people that had lost someone. It was like the Twin Towers all over again. There were pictures of loved ones that were missing all over New York City. No one was allowed onto the island save for people working to clean up the remnants of the destruction. So a couple of places had become sites of questions. Of hopes that people's wishes would come true and that their loved ones were simply missing and not disintegrated by green goo, leaving them with nothing.

Serena didn't answer her. She couldn't. There was no answer and never would be.

"Any plans on what to get or do for Sam? We owe her a lot," Joanne reminded her. She saw a smile form on Serena's face that told her she had a couple of ideas.

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Kate was leaning in close to the mirror as she put on the last of her makeup. She had at first rejected the idea of getting dressed up and going to her mother's restaurant for a formal dinner. It didn't help that sitting for long still hurt. That was why she was standing and leaning down to look into the mirror instead of sitting at her vanity.

Satisfied with what she had done, she twisted in place to look at her posterior once more. Her heart sank yet again as she looked at it and even ran a hand over it. Never mind that she was topless and was wearing nothing more than a G-string, garter belt, and stockings. She still didn't see herself as being sexy even dressed like that.

She was still running a hand over her butt and huffed an irritated breath. Then a pair of arms wrapped themselves around her from behind. She knew instantly who it was and could feel his love washing over her.

Rick could guess what his mate was thinking. "You're the most beautiful woman I've ever seen," he rumbled. "Not to mention hot and sexy." She simply leaned back into him and let him hug her. Now that he could hug her she found that she'd really missed his bear hugs.

"Want me to drive you to your appointment with your shifter-friendly OB/GYN tomorrow?" Rick inquired since Allison and Thom were there even now since they were going to AFTER DARK, too.

Kate thought about it for a moment. "No, I can manage. I need to make sure I don't have any internal damage from taking on that dead Dragon and I want to know why my ass looks the way it does." She was really afraid that it was more than her posterior that had been hurt.

"Want help getting into your dress? And just so you know, I'm going to peel it off of you later tonight and prove to you just how beautiful and sexy you really are." Rick smiled into the mirror and saw Kate smile in return.

She really did want to feel beautiful and sexy again. It had been a long month and yes, they had made love to each other a number of times, but the entire time Kate had tried to hide her scars from his eyes.

Now enveloped in one of his hugs, she really did start to feel better about herself. "Since you're not going to let me help you... Get dressed and come downstairs. There's a surprise waiting for you." Rick kissed her head and started walking away.

"You remember that I hate surprises, right?" Kate called after him. "And I own a gun!" she yelled after he was gone. She was never going to admit that she loved his surprises. Well, most of them anyway. Whether she would like this one was yet to be seen.

Getting into the dress was simple. It was backless and flowed all the way to the floor with a long slit up one side. She twirled in place in front of the full length mirror and saw that if the dress opened just right, it gave her a peek of her garter belt. Yes she was way over dressed for a family restaurant, but it had been her husbands request so she went along with it.

She smiled a sly smile. She was certain what she was wearing beneath her dress was going to drive Rick mad. For the first time since the fight, she felt sexy.

Downstairs she found Alexis, Sam, Ava, Allison, Thom, Aileen, and Aurelia all standing together while Rick had a camera on a tripod. All of them were all dressed to the nines. The girls looked amazing. Kate had serious envy for the dress Allison was wearing. She definitely wanted one for herself but in a different color. Rick was handsome and she had to admit that Thom looked equally nice. She could see what Allison saw in him.

Kate covered her mouth with her hand as she walked toward them and began worrying that she was going to ruin all her makeup because she was tearing up.

Rick intercepted her. "Stand here, right here." He maneuvered her into place. Allison with Aileen in her arms was next to her and they were in the middle. Thom had Aurelia and was on one end.

Alexis and Sam were up front with Midas and Maggie sitting on either side of them. Ava was sitting contentedly on the floor directly in front of the older girls, holding her favorite stuffed animal, Dolly the Doberman. "Now everyone say _'Cheese_ _,'_ he called out. He pressed the timer and ran to stand next to Kate.

Two more pictures and they left for dinner.

They were seated and were already talking with each other. Suddenly their server showed up and started taking drink orders. "Hi, Ziriadne." Sam smiled wide.

"Hi Sam," Ziri smiled back. "Are we still on for your first lesson tomorrow?" Sam nodded enthusiastically. Kate beamed. Serendipitously, they had found someone that was willing to teach Sam how to discover what all her powers were and how to use them with control. "Any word on your mother yet?" Kate was still concerned for her.

"Not yet, but I still have hope." Ziriadne needed to hold onto her faith. Otherwise she would be alone and she didn't really want that.

"I will contact Serena when we get home. Perhaps she can help," Allison offered. She was convinced Serena had a lot of contacts.

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Kate was in a hospital gown that exposed her back and buttocks and was waiting for her doctor to come in. She kind of hated these visits but they were necessary. She heard a quick knock on the door and it opened.

"How are you feeling?" Doctor Hamilton asked after entering.

"Fine. ...Nervous. ...Scared," Kate replied.

"Well, let's take a closer look, shall we?" She had Kate spin around while she sat down and lifted the gown to expose her butt cheeks.

"This is a lot of scarring. I don't suppose you're willing to explain how you got them?" She had to admit she was curious.

"I was in an altercation while shifted and my tail took a lot of damage. Honestly, I was amazed that the damage transferred to me in human form. I stayed shifted for weeks. We even had a shifter healer come in to help me." Kate really wanted her baby smooth cheeks back again.

"There are over the counter creams that do a great job of softening and lightening the marks but I think you're going to keep most of these," she informed Kate who groaned. "Is your husband an ass man?"

Her question had Kate smiling and lightly chuckling. So far, Rick was an everything man. He paid attention to every part of her. He was a tit man, a leg man, an ass man. Hell, even a foot man, given he gave her foot massages when she came home from work and complained of her feet hurting.

"I'll take that as a no," she replied with a smile and wished she had a man who was as attentive as she thought Kate's husband was. "Hop up here and let me take a look." She patted the table for Kate to lie back on and spread her legs.

It took about as long as Kate anticipated and was taken aback when the doctor wheeled in an ultrasound machine. "What's that for?" she questioned since she knew what it was generally used for.

"Indulge me." She set the machine up and applied the gel that had been in the warming unit. "Now let's just see if you have any other damage." She didn't know what Kate had done but if her butt cheeks showed that much scaring, what could have happened internally?

"Hmm," Doctor Hamilton softly hummed while she moved the transducer around on her abdomen.

"What?!" Kate didn't like the sound of it.

"We need to do a blood test to be certain. But I'd say congratulations are in order." Kate was stunned and her heart briefly stuttered in her chest.

"What? ...No, that's _not_ possible. I can't be. I mean I know how, but I'm not... I'm on the pill for god's sake!" Having three babies were enough. They didn't need more kids. Listening to her inner Dragon crow her happiness wasn't helping.

"Pregnant... yes. I'd say about eleven weeks, more or less." She had a question for Kate but already knew the answer. "As for being on birth control, how often do you shift?"

"We have monthly family outings while in our shifted form. ...Why?" Oh, god, what had she done?

"Your shifted form automatically cleans out any of the drugs that you have taken while human. It's partly why shifters are so healthy. You aren't susceptible to the diseases or viruses that we humans are."

Kate closed her eyes and turned her face toward the wall. She took a deep breath and let it out, trying to calm herself but to no avail. Her voice trembled when she asked, "Is the baby all right? I... I had no idea. I shifted. _**I shifted!**_ _"_

"Everything looks fine, Kate. I really don't think you have anything to worry about."

She gave a sigh of relief. "...Okay, so one or two?" She prayed mightily that she wouldn't say three let alone two.

Doctor Hamilton smiled. "Just the one this time. Come back in a month. By then we might be able to tell you the sex of your baby. Assuming he or she cooperates, that is. If not, then probably the following month."

"Pregnant."


	37. Chapter 37

**Evil Eyes 37**

 _It has been a long three years, or short depending on your point of view_

It was Thanksgiving in the year 2006 and all of the Rodgers, the Lehmans, and the Greys were in the Rogers home to celebrate. As big as the house was, it just wasn't big enough, it seemed. To accommodate everyone they'd had to set up a children's table since their dining room table just wasn't that big. There was even another table to hold most of the food.

Right now Rick was in the kitchen helping Johanna finish getting everything ready. That granted Kate a moment of peace as she looked around. There were kids and dogs running around all over the place. The house was filled with the aroma of good food plus laughter and love. Not to mention a fair amount of barking.

As loud as it was, Kate loved the sound of it all. She never even noticed when Allison sat down with her baby boy, Douglas. With Hawks as parents, it came as no surprise that he was one, too.

"You are thinking far too loudly, ma'am," Allison chided while smiling, knowing that she was teasing. Even now she couldn't not call Kate "ma'am," regardless of how much as Kate tried to break her of the habit.

Kate smiled. "I was just thinking..." She was interrupted when Thor jumped up onto the sectional trying to keep away from one of the big dogs, then jumped back down and ran off.

She chuckled at the doggy mayhem. Not long after the Dracolich was killed, Rick had come home with two puppies that had at first decided to pee wherever they chose to. It took some work and help from Alexis and Sam to train them to do it outside. The two newer ones weren't Dobermans and in some ways Kate was happy about that.

He had actually bought them online without seeing them in person and had them flown in from the breeder. They were brother and sister from the same parents. Rick had thought it was a good idea. They had been a handful at first and if truth be told, they still were. Midas and Maggie had been leery of them at first, but had warmed up slowly till now they were a happy four dog family.

They were red Irish Setters. Rick had done a lot of research and Kate thanked him for thinking of fun for the kids this time instead of choosing personal protectors much like Midas and Maggie still were.

Kate's attention was soon diverted to her two-and-a-half-year-old son who was walking toward her while hanging onto Lily's tail. She was one of the Irish Setters. He was grinning and only had eyes for his mom. She did her best to take a picture of the moment and store it away into permanent memory.

Of all her children, Jared Joseph Rodgers got into far more mischief than any of her girls ever had. She blamed Rick for his behavior. The girls that she'd given birth to were Dragons and they were little angels. Jared turned out to be a Kodiak Bear who somewhere along the way, had decided that he was top Bear in their house.

Jared even chased his oldest sister during their family outings. Still, as much of a handful that he was, he was a happy child. "Are you coming to see me, little man?" Kate crooned at him and held out her arms.

"Mommy." Jared increased his speed since he wanted to be there _right now._ Having Jack, the other Irish Setter, come bounding in to harass his sister upset everything and Jared ended up on his ass. He gave both dogs a serious _'What did you do that for?'_ look.

Douglas, who was still in his mother's arms, found it to be very comical and started clapping his hands together as best he could. He, however, did not rate any attention from Jared who had decided Lily and Jack needed to be taught a lesson, so he was up and running away from his mother who was now long forgotten.

"Guess I'm not important anymore," Kate fake pouted as she settled back and began to play peekaboo with Douglas instead.

Kate's eyes were soon covered by small hands – barely – and she closed them to keep tiny fingers from being poked into them. "Guess who?" said a little voice.

The voice was a dead giveaway but Kate was willing to play along. "Um, ...Abby Cadabby?" was her first guess and she got giggles in return.

"Nope."

"Minnie Mouse?" Kate tried a cartoon character since she wasn't sure if Aileen knew the Sesame Street's Muppet's name or not.

" _MOM_ _-MY_ _!"_ Aileen was exasperated with her mother because she couldn't guess who it was. It had started out as a game that sounded fun, but it was going downhill fast.

Kate knew that tone and since she was down to just one guess, she made it a good one. "Wonder Woman," she stated with conviction. Her three-and-a-half-year-old daughter burst into gales of laughter since she had gone trick or treating just last month dressed in a mini Wonder Woman costume.

"Nope. ...It's ME!" Aileen announced with glee and took her hands away which allowed Kate to turn her head and open her eyes.

"I was right, you _are_ Wonder Woman."

Aileen grinned at her mom and ran for the stairs to find her costume so she could really be Wonder Woman.

Kate looked over at Allison and changed topics now that one daughter was gone. "Are you and Thom ready for next week?"

"We are looking forward to it as usual," Allison responded. It was going to be a little more complicated this time, but they had been to Walt Disney World every year with the Rodgers since the first trip in 2003.

"We need how many strollers this time?" Kate questioned with laughter in her voice. They were going to be a sight to be seen she was certain of that. Only Alexis and Sam could actually walk for very long and Disney was vast if you were a kid. Vast for adults even who had to get those same kids to each and every character they came across so they could get an autograph and a picture. Still the trips were building memories for everyone. Kate had pictures of them with the characters all over the house, as requested by her children.

Watching all six dogs go racing past her and Allison, she wondered just where her son was since he had gone off after one or both of them. She found him at the entrance to the kitchen sitting on the floor, pouting. Something was obviously wrong in his little world.

Kate was all set to get up and retrieve him when Alexis came swooping in, lifted him up, and carried him into the kitchen. "She is going to make an amazing mother some day," Allison remarked.

"All Bears." Kate was convinced of it. She stopped thinking about anything as she watched her mother and Rick, followed by Oscar, walk out of the kitchen and head for the tables, loaded down with food.

"Dinner?" she called out plaintively since her stomach had started complaining.

"Almost, Katie. If you could round up the kids and get them clean it would help," Johanna called back as she disappeared into the kitchen to get still more food.

She was all for that if it meant finally eating. "I will take the second floor," Allison offered and stood to go upstairs. Kate got up and headed for the stairs, though in her case she went down.

Kate, Johanna, and Allison cut up everything for the younger kids before sitting down. Rick was at the head of the table this time since it was his turn. Oscar had done it last time. He picked up his fork and tapped his glass to get everyone's attention.

"We have much to be thankful for yet again this year. We are surrounded by friends and people we love. Everyone's healthy and doing wonderfully. Not to brag or anything, but my latest book has hit the stands and is already on the New York Times best sellers list," Rick said with a grin. He and Kate knew it meant that they could afford to do a number of things next year. One of which was a much planned trip to Europe. They planned to expose the kids to totally different cultures.

Three nights in Dublin, Ireland; three nights in London, England; four nights in Paris, France. That was to be followed by nine nights in Italy: three nights in Rome, three nights in Florence, and three nights in Venice.

It was costing a small fortune and Kate cringed at the thought of just how much they would be spending. However, going over the books showed that Rick brought in more than enough money with his book sales. The cost and the time away from work had proven to be the major stumbling blocks, but they were able to resolve them both.

Kate was also sure that her husband would dream up other places for them to visit using their Fifth Wheel. She really wanted to go back to Yellowstone again. She wanted to talk her mother and Oscar into coming with them in their motorhome. It was the place that had gotten her out there to Newcastle and it held a major significance in her life.

"To our continued happiness and good fortune. ...And maybe another Dragon, or two," Rick added softly. He got a balled up napkin thrown in his face that caused everyone to laugh. Everyone, that was, except for Kate who was glaring daggers at him. _'You're getting_ _snipped_ _before that happens_ _,_ _'_ she told him in an ice cold tone and groaned when her Dragon gave her wholehearted approval of his plan.

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They had yet to stay there on any of their previous trips and Kate was looking forward to seeing what was different about it. Like the first year, everyone was there this time. They met Lanie and Javi down in the lobby and went through check in with them. They found out that Kevin, Jenny, and Sarah Grace were already there and were somewhere out on the Boardwalk itself.

They all found themselves on the fifth floor and went to their rooms. It turned out they were all side by side as they stopped at their doors and slid their key cards into the slots.

 **Disney Board** **W** **alk Villas**

Lanie and Javi had a one bedroom villa: _The one-bedroom villa sleeps four and provides a formal kitchen, a second bathroom and a living room in addition to the studio bedroom. The living room's sofa folds out to provide beds for two more people. Board_ _w_ _alk one-bedroom villas are 814 square feet._

Rick had arranged for the same room type for Kevin, Jenny, and Sarah Grace as well as Allison, Thom, and baby Douglas.

They themselves had the largest room available, a BoardWalk Grand Villa: _The two-story grand villas sleep twelve and include four bathrooms, the same master-bedroom layout, and two bedrooms with two queen beds apiece. An upstairs seating area overlooking the main floor provides a sleeper sofa and chair. BoardWalk_ _G_ _rand_ _V_ _illas are 2,491 square feet._

Just stepping into the space was amazing. It was simple-looking if not understated. It was decorated in a soft blue combined with white and had little Mickey bits hidden everywhere, something they were getting used to looking for. Rick, to his credit, had turned trying to find them all into a game with the girls and their son.

Walking out onto the balcony, Kate found that they looked out onto the Boardwalk itself and could see Crescent Lake beyond. There were four chairs and a small table on each of the two balconies that made up their space.

A quick knock sounded and Alexis opened the door to Allison and Thom who came to help them get settled in so they could go outside in search for their first dinner there.

They found the rest of their party sitting out front of the Boardwalk Bakery snacking on freshly baked croissants with butter and cheese. The smell alone had captured their attention.

A quick check with the clerk at the front desk indicated that the best place to be today was the Animal Kingdom which, for all of the shifters, had turned into a favorite. It didn't hurt that it had one of the more exciting roller coasters that Disney had.

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 _November 21, 2008_

Sam was the oldest of their children and she was turning sixteen today. Rick, given his generous nature, had laid out everything a sweet sixteen teenager could ever want or ask for. That made Kate happy.

They were still at breakfast when the front door bell rang. That set off all four dogs who took off for the front door, barking.

Midas, Maggie, Lily, and Jack were gone if not forgotten since they had a number of pictures scattered around the house. Midas and Maggie had been elderly dogs and unfortunately, Midas had developed kidney failure. A while later, Maggie simply didn't wake up one morning. The family was devastated. Both of their beloved guardians were gone. As for Lily and Jack... When Lily was four, she had had a series of severe seizures and the anti-seizure medication proved to be ineffective in her case. And Jack, well, sadly, about a year later, Jack was found to have bone cancer, something that Irish Setters were prone to. Now they had a real mix since Rick had taken a risk.

 **Newfoundland** **:** _Nicknamed "Nature's Babysitter," the Newfoundland is considered one of the most intelligent breeds in the world, and they just happen to love children and are very protective of them. Gentle, kind, and patient, this breed is almost like the Mother Teresa of dogs. Both young and old will quickly fall in love with this wonderfully sweet, large dog._

 **Collie** **:** _With a variety of breeds classified as Collies, such as the Border Collie and Bearded Collie, your options for this family friendly pup are not only limited to the classic "Lassie" dog, a Border Collie, but we'll focus on that type of Collie here. Collies are a gentle and predictable breed, rarely misbehaving and easily trainable - which is perfect for families that are unfamiliar with dogs. Collies get along great with children and love to please their owners and protect their family._

 **Labrador Retriever:** _The Labrador Retriever is one terrific family dog – given enough vigorous exercise (preferably including swimming and fetching games) and not just a walk around the block once a day. ...One of the best dogs for children of all ages, Labrador Retrievers are kindly, good-natured, and take most things in stride._

 **Golden Retriever** **:** _The Golden Retriever is a confident, smart, kind, and loyal dog. Neither aggressive nor timid, the Golden Retriever is extremely patient, which makes them a perfect match for kids._

For a few short years it felt like their family was cursed and had dark clouds hovering over all of them as they waited for the next catastrophe to befall them. Rick had proven himself correct that a new set of puppies would brighten up everyone's mood.

At the time Kate wasn't sure her heart could take another loss nor watch as another child had their heart broken. Unconditional love had soon fixed that.

Alexis opened the door with Sam right behind her allowing Rick and Kate to continue making breakfast. "Can we help you?" Alexis inquired politely; the man looked harmless.

"Ms. Samantha Rodgers?" he asked with a smile.

"That's me." Sam was curious since this was a first. He was a little too old for her and she didn't recognize him. Alexis had already silently signaled that he wasn't a shifter and Sam, thanks to her lessons, knew he wasn't Fae, either.

"I have a delivery for you. If you would sign for it, please." He held out a clipboard that held all the paperwork.

"What is it?" Sam didn't understand though she quickly signed for it, believing that her parents had gotten her a birthday present that had just arrived.

"It's in the driveway, Miss. This is yours also." And he gave her a small box that had an envelope attached to it. He had done his job and had been well paid to do it, so he left with the waiting driver.

Alexis watched him go as she closed the door and turned to her sister who had just opened the box. What she pulled out was a set of keys which had her perplexed. "What's it say, Sam?" Alexis was just as curious.

 _Happy_ _Sweet_ _S_ _ixteen_ _,_ _Samantha Pat_ _i_ _nelli-Rodgers.  
_

 _Joanne and_ _I_ _owe you a lot. We have a future mostly because of you. You gave us a_ _n incredible_ _gift. Please accept_ _our_ _gift as partial payment for that gift. It's completely paid for as are the first five years of insurance._

 _Yours for life,_

 _Serena Kaye, Joanne Delgado, and Michael Kaye-Delgado_

Both of them were bursting with questions so Alexis opened the door and they ran outside. They just _had_ to see.

"OH ...MY ...GOD!" Sam screamed as she rushed it and ran around it, a wide smiling gracing her face as she looked it over from end to end.

"Keys, Sammie." Alexis wanted inside. Sam ran for the driver's door, pressed the button on the remote to open the door, and climbed inside with Alexis seated next to her.

Sam was giddy and giggling while she looked it over. "What's taking you two so long?" was heard from the doorway as Aileen rushed them. "Whose car? Mommy and Daddy got you a car? No fair!" Even though it was eleven years away, she knew what she wanted for her sixteenth birthday.

"What's going on?" Aurelia was next along with all four dogs. "Mommy and Daddy got you a car?" She hurried back inside to ask her parents about it.

The entire family spilled outside. Ava and Jared followed by Rick and Kate. Sam jumped out of the car which allowed Alexis to take her place. Sam rushed Kate and hugged her. "It's a car, Mom! _A car!"_ She could hardly contain herself.

"Holy... Who sent you a Range Rover?!" Rick questioned since Kate was still a little shocked. Sam handed him the letter while Kate leaned over and read it herself.

At first Kate thought that it was just too much. How Serena and Joanne thought that a new car was such a good idea escaped her, even if it was insured. However, her heart told her to not take it from Sammie, so her head told her to simply set some ground rules on how and when she could use it. At least it was appropriate for the area even if it did look expensive.

 **2008 Range Rover Supercharged:** _$93,325, white with ivory seats. 400-hp, 4.2-liter V8, six-speed automatic transmission and a permanent four-wheel-drive system with a two-speed transfer case and electronic Torsen center differential. All-terrain traction and stability control, Hill Descent Control, four-wheel disc brakes with ABS, and Land Rover's "Terrain Response" system combine to provide legendary go-anywhere off-road ability. Standard safety equipment includes nine airbags, front head restraints with whiplash reduction system, rear view camera, security system and tire pressure monitoring._

Rick came up behind Kate and wrapped his arms around her. "You know what this means, right?" He was smiling while Kate groaned. She allowed her husband to hug her and take away her anxiety.

It meant they had to get each of their kids something just as good for their sixteenth birthdays. "There won't be room enough in our driveway for all those cars," she groaned and felt her husband chuckle since she was thinking what he was.

' _Serena_ _'_ _s still getting a piece of my mind_ _,_ _'_ she said acerbically which made Rick chortle even harder and louder as they watched their children oohing and ahing over the new addition to the family while teasing Sam.


	38. Chapter 38

**Evil eyes 38**

 _400 Years Later_

There had been a lot of changes over the centuries. Whether they'd been willing to or not, they had had no choice but to come to terms with all of the changes, least of which was all of them were going to live far longer than ever thought or understood.

All of their kids had essentially stopped aging when they reached their early twenties. It had varied a bit between them. Sam was the oldest of the kids, still young because she was Fae. Jared was the youngest; there had been no more after him even though Rick hadn't gotten _snipped_ like Kate had threatened _._ Kate and Rick had also come to terms with not aging at a normal rate. If anyone had to guess, they would put their ages at early to mid thirties, maybe. Nowhere near the four hundred plus years that they both were, that they all were.

Rick was still writing though, of course, but he was on yet another publisher. He was now considered old fashioned and had looked far and wide to find a publisher that actually published books instead of reading them on a pad. As a result his sales were way down. However, Kate was more investment savvy than her husband and had used their surplus funds to buy businesses that would earn an income.

Even today they were the proud owner of fifteen different franchises that provided them with a very good living. Kate still worked even though her being a county sheriff had ended centuries ago. Now she was more of a life guard on call and as a result only worked occasionally. With only a few exceptions like last month when it felt like half the planet had decided to start getting lost and or sinking.

She was thankful for her children and Rick. She had had a series of rough years countless decades ago. Lanie, Javi, and their son, Mateo, along with Ryan, Jenny, and Sarah Grace, were long since gone. Gone also was her mother. Even Oscar and her brother, while being shifters, didn't have a Dragon's or even a Bear's longevity.

Right now she was in the kitchen of the main building with her husband starting work on lunch. Their youngest daughter emerged from her room. "I'm going swimming, Mom," Aurelia called. She was dressed only in a robe that Kate had insisted on.

"Be back in an hour for lunch, sweetheart, and stay away from boats," Kate called back just before the door closed. She missed seeing it but knew her daughter had rolled her eyes at her.

The door opened and closed almost immediately. "Hi Mom and Dad. Where's Reli going?" Aileen inquired as she entered the kitchen to take over the lunch prep since she wanted something more than just sandwiches.

Rick just smiled, gave way, and headed out of the house to find something else to do. Kate simply raised her hands and relinquished the kitchen to her daughter. Kate was still thankful that she had inherited her mother's love of food. Though having her mother teach her everything she knew helped.

"I'm planning on making one of Grandma's recipes," Aileen told her which earned her a hug and a quick kiss.

"I'll leave it in your talented hands. I wanted to ask you, have you seen Ava?" Kate hadn't seen her in what felt like weeks.

"She went into work a few days ago and never came back. She says she's going to get it to work, so help her god." Aileen was impressed with her sister. She had developed a true touch for what she did.

Kate could only shake her head. Ava had informed all of them what her plan was and to say that the family was surprised was an understatement. However, they had talked about it some and had even scheduled another family meeting in about a week since that was the date Ava had given them.

"I'm going to go find your brother." Kate left for his building. Stepping outside meant going from the cool of the air conditioning to the heat of the outside since it was the middle of summer.

Jared being the only boy of the family, had gotten his own room which happened to be in its own building. Kate was brought back to what the two of them had argued about years ago. She chuckled softly, amused at the thought that her husband had finally gotten his wish.

They lived on an island.

 **SANDY CAY:** _Sandy Cay is an 8+/- acre private island nestled in the turquoise waters of The Sea of Abaco and is currently enjoyed as a private family retreat._

 _The potential is enormous for the use of the island as a an upscale private boutique resort. There are four residences on the island, a private Harbor that houses the five vessels included with the island, a fitness center comparable to commercial facilities, two beaches, and much more._

 _Located just off Man O War Cay, Sandy Cay offers an ideal location in the protected Sea of Abaco. Unnoticed by most that pass, the island has been developed very carefully, leaving much of the natural vegetation that provides the utmost privacy._

 _The island offers four homes strategically placed on the island to capture the views and to offer seclusion to its guests. Leading from the main house, beautiful white sand paths manicured and lined with conch shells lead to the various buildings, beaches and private harbor._

 _There are two beaches on the island, one facing west and the other facing the southeast, with a total of over 800 feet of white powder soft sand. The island also lends itself to the potential of development. Sandy Cay provides an ideal opportunity for an exclusive private boutique resort as there is ample room on the island for further development._

 _Being centrally located in The Sea of Abaco, just 5 minutes from Marsh Harbor and Hope Town, day trips are a breeze for both owners and guests. The homes on the island include:_

 _ **THE MAIN HOUSE:**_ _Central gathering point for Sandy Cay; 5,400+/- square feet including patio and deck; Full kitchen with Viking six burner stove, walk in cooler, two Viking refrigerators, one Viking Freezer and dining area with eight seater dining room table; Computer station opens to spacious outdoor terrace for alfresco dining; Detached two bedroom, two bath bedroom wing. Lower level office for island manager. Lower level laundry and utility room with three high performance washing machines and dryers._

 _ **BEACH BUNGALOW:**_ _The "Master Suite" 2,600 sq. ft. with porches and patios overlooking the main beach; His and hers full baths and dressing areas; His and hers full walk-in closets; Small kitchen area; Separate sitting and dining area; Full wrap around covered porch; Spacious crow's nest._

 _ **CONCH COTTAGE:**_ _1,500+/- square feet with porch areas; Two bedrooms, two full baths;_

 _Full kitchen; Open living and dining area; Just steps to south beach; Great sea views._

 _ **CASA CONTENTA:**_ _A child's paradise, a parent's reprieve; 600+/- sq. ft. with porch areas;_

 _Bunk style cottage, sleeps five; Small kitchen; Full bath._

Kate was walking the path to his building when she saw Sam lying in the sun dressed in her bikini. "Remember your sunscreen, love," she yelled at her then laughed when Sammie raised a tube of sunscreen without actually turning to look at her or say anything in return.

They had all learned the hard way their first year there that the summers could burn you in minutes. Alexis had gotten so sunburnt that she had had to shift into her Bear and stay indoors for just short of a week so she could heal and not leave any marks.

Her sisters had taken to making sure Lexi always had sunscreen on or with her. They had placed little spray bottles all over the island just for her. So far Alexis and Jared were the only two she had yet to see this morning. Ava was nowhere to be found.

A quick knock on his door garnered no answer. So Kate opened it only to find it empty. "Of course." She shook her head to even think that her son would be in his room. She left the cool of the air conditioning once more and headed to where she knew she would find him.

Stepping into another building, she was back into an air conditioned space but it was also the exercise room. The building was mostly round with windows surrounding it and had a massive, sloped, open beam ceiling with wooden roof that peaked in the center. Inside it was filled with eleven different pieces of equipment along with a free weights area.

As expected, her son, clad only in a pair of shorts, was presently laying on his back lifting weights. He was already sweaty and grunting. He was obsessed with his physique to the point that Kate was starting to worry.

He had grown into a really big Bear much like his father. Perhaps one day he would be just as massive and just as strong. However, he had decided that his human form was weak and he was determined to fix that. "Hi, honey." Kate was pleased that he actually stopped, sat up, and reached for a towel.

"Hi, Mom. What's up?" Jared knew his mother didn't see his point of view and he had actually shortened his time there to just two hours each day.

"I'm just here to remind you that Alexis and your dad are expecting you tonight." Kate enjoyed watching them. It was time for a family Bear game.

"I'll be there, Mom. I'm looking forward to finally beating my sister." Kate guessed that was one of the reasons he was so dedicated to working out. His sister was about twenty percent smaller as a Bear than he was, but she was faster.

Kate had spent some time explaining to him how Andrea from the Kodiak Bear Community had won the right to be their alpha. She was convinced that it had gone in one ear and out the other. However, continually losing to his sister might just be a wake-up call, one that made him realize that strength alone wasn't everything, or so she hoped.

She was still amazed that most of her children had jobs given that they still all looked to be at best early 20s. All of them were very smart and had finished college centuries ago, though they still took online courses to keep up with the forward march of technology. "You're not with Ava." Kate states.

It was one of the reasons that Kate had finally relented to her husband's wish to move to an island. They had visited over eighteen different islands from Belize, to Ontario, to the Florida Keys till they finally settled on Sandy Cove.

It was a self-sufficient space and given all of the advancements over the years, they weren't cut off from the outside. Even the generation of electricity had been updated a number of years ago. They now generated almost twice what they really needed. The excess was beamed out into orbit where a satellite intercepted it and redistributed it all over.

They had been forced to replace all of the air conditioner split systems when they became old and broke down. The same for the hot water system. They also had to have a company come out and clean their cistern system to keep their potable water just that.

"Try not to exercise too much, Jared. Muscles aren't everything. Get too many muscles and not being able to even lift your hands over your head is not a good thing." Kate put up a little fight to get him to listen.

"Yes, Mother." She got one of her patented eye rolls back from him as he laid back down and went back to lifting weights. She sighed and exited the building so she could go down the walkway and join Sam.

Kate sat down, picked up the tube of sunscreen, and applied some to her skin. The girls had taken to wearing bikinis everywhere much like Jared only wore shorts. "Hi, Mom." Sam didn't even open her eyes to make sure it was her mom.

Kate shook her head. She hadn't said a word. They had learned that Sam had powers, some really powerful ones. One of which was she could sense the people around her and knew who they were. "You didn't go with Ava into work. You're not needed?" Kate kept applying sunscreen since she didn't want to get burnt, either. Actually most of her family worked with Ava or so it seemed.

"Ava's still working on the life support systems. The rest of us aren't needed. The propulsion system is all worked out as is the computer system. Serena's final gift is still operational and has been downloaded into the newer system. Sarah's all set to get us there," Sam told her as she remembered that day.

A lawyer had shown up at their home and left a lot of paperwork for them all to read and go over. Serena, being human, had died, leaving Joanne, their son, and their friends behind. As per her wishes, after Joanne and the others were done living in their home and moved on, Sarah was hers.

Another small addition had been added to their home to house Sarah after she had been dismantled and transferred to Wyoming. It also meant adjusting the power supply so that Sarah had access to uninterruptible power along with battery backup.

Kate lay down and closed her eyes and started soaking up the sun. "Has Ava given a time frame?" she inquired since her daughters were doing most of the work.

"Twenty years to build it with another year of testing. New Horizons will start construction about this time next year," Sam replied.

Kate smiled. New Horizons. It had been Serena and Joanne's final gift which wasn't specifically for them or Sam. New Horizons only employed shifters or Fae with just one project in mind: serve all shifters and Fae and give them a future, free from concerns like any chance at a revived Paladin.

"Where is everyone?" Sam asked.

"Well, your brother's doing what he always does." That got a chuckle out of Sam. She saw the allure of muscles but not the dedication her brother had.

"Lexi is I don't know where, Reli went swimming, and Leena's making lunch. She talked about trying one of your grandmother's recipes. I have no idea what Ava's doing. I'm not sure I even understand what she's doing," Kate had to admit.

Ava had almost surpassed her sister Alexis. Ava was perhaps smarter than Alexis but she was less dedicated. "So it's really going to happen?" Kate still couldn't believe it.

"You don't want to go?" Sam opened her eyes and turned her head to look at her mother. "It'll be ours and ours alone. Thanks to New Horizon, only shifters and Fae will be going." Sam knew the plan and was actually part of it.

"Leave home and go where we can't expect any help of any kind? Only have what we can take, find, and make? Living will be very hard at first." Kate had no illusions of what to expect. She just hoped all of the other people knew the risks.

"We already have hundreds onboard for the trip. Sarah's keeping track of everything. We have twenty years to buy everything we need and make everything to get it up there. As well as finding as many shifters and Fae as we can and getting them signed onto the project. Testing for all systems save life support is already complete." That helped explain why Ava was missing.

The two of them grew quiet as they either tried to think of nothing or thought about their future.

They both opened their eyes at the noise and watched Aurelia walk out of the ocean onto the beach still as her Dragon before shifting back to human just as she reached the beach.

"How was the water, Reli?" Kate asked as her naked daughter picked up Sam's spare towel to cover herself.

"It was great, I love this island!" Aurelia announced which was something both Sam and Kate already knew. "We still going out for our family outing tonight?" They may be on an island and old enough to live on their own, but they all liked it like this.

Yes, all of the girls had boyfriends who all happened to either be shifters or Fae, but the girls each chose to live there. "Are the guys coming or is it just us?" Kate asked, keeping one eye open to look at her.

"Boys night out tonight," Aurelia informed her mom. That satisfied Kate so she closed her eye.

"Then yes, we'll be out there terrorizing the sea life." Kate smiled since it was an inside joke.

Instead of flying in the air, they flew in water and since almost all of the girls could breathe water it made swimming like Aurelia had just been doing as a Dragon, easy.

Satisfied with her answer, she started to leave just as the dinner bell sounded. "About time, I'm starving," Aurelia announced.

 _XXXXXXxxxxxXXXXXXxxxxxXXXXXXxxxxxXXXXXXxxxxxXXXXXXxxxxxXXXXXXxxxxxXXXXXXxxxxxXXXXXX_

Their living room was completely full and Aileen, Alexis, and Rick were in the kitchen making snacks for everyone before going outside to start grilling. It was a beach party!

Kate didn't fail to notice that her girls that weren't in the kitchen were sitting up close to their boyfriends. Each had already gone through a few and had their hearts broken a little, but it had helped them to grow. She had more than once explained just how many boyfriends she had gone through before she found the perfect guy. She wondered if any of them had talked to her husband about asking his permission. _'Yes_ _,_ _'_ was the almost immediate reply. _'They actually showed up as a group to ask.'_ Rick was betting it was a method to keep him from shifting and scaring the crap out of each of them.

Kate started looking at her girls with new eyes and noticed that Alexis and Sam were looking back at her. They were saved when snacks were served and Ava got up and turned on the wall since she had something to tell them and show them.

Ava flipped on the screen that was the wall above the fireplace. There were larger systems but this was an older home and didn't have the wall space that wasn't filled with glass.

"New Horizons has already started construction of various parts and will continue to do so for several years. The private space elevator that we constructed will be used to transport all the parts into space." Ava brought up a picture of the space elevator that had been constructed.

"We have thousands of shifters and Fae that have been hired, a number of whom that will be out in space to construct the ship itself. We will no doubt get lots of interest once construction starts; Sarah will handle all of that for us.

Now the ship itself will take an estimated twenty years to complete." Ava brought up a diagram to show everyone what it would look like. It was unique in design. It had a large central disk with seven pylons that ran out to an outer ring. Off of that ring were another seven pylons that each had a large pod attached to them.

"The central disk is the engineering section, command and control, and the computer core. Each pylon is hollow with bulkhead doors on either end. The ring is where all of the storage will be located along with the machine shops. It is broken up into sections complete with bulkhead doors to close that section off from all the others in the event of a hull breach. It's also where the three flight bays are located." Ava allowed Sarah to show them a cutaway of the disk, the pylons, and the ring. The disk looked large, but it appeared to not be very thick though it did bulge a bit on the top and bottom. The ring itself had four floors. What the display didn't tell any of them was just how big it really was.

"Each of the pods is a self-contained system. Everyone has its own backup power generators, life support, and emergency escape pods. These pods are where we will all be sleeping in hibernation for the trip. Each pod is made up of several of these." Sarah showed an area that looked a lot like a bee hive.

"An individual hexagon cell will hold six people. The entire pod is built using this hexagon system with units on each side and stacked on top of each other. Much like a bee hive. There will be a tight fitting transfer tube that attaches to each section on each level to allow movement in and out of the pod itself. The inner core of each pod will house the life support system and take power from the central core where needed since each pod has its own power system." Ava paused to allow Sarah to show them a cutaway of each pod.

"Each pod is designed to hold a combined three thousand people for a total amount of space for twenty-one thousand people," Ava said.

"Just twenty-one thousand, Ava?" Alexis didn't like the number, it seemed small to her. Shifters had increased in numbers much like the human population. There had to be several times that number now.

"New Horizons is essentially self-sufficient now. Once our ship is complete and everyone's onboard, Sarah will launch us with her onboard to take care of us while we sleep. Once we are gone another ship just like it will start construction. Twenty-one years later, it will launch and follow us.

This will continue for as long as New Horizons is viable enough to build them as there are enough shifters and Fae to build everything as well as construct another Sarah.

The plan is that every twenty-one years another ship will arrive and will increase our population by another twenty-one thousand people. It's assumed that each following ship will become smaller and smaller as more and more shifters and Fae leave this planet. There just will not be enough of them to make everything." Ava had no illusions that it would just keep going and going.

"And when they decide to try and stop us?" Jared was concerned that someone, some group would step in to try and find out what was going on and put a stop to it. Even Sarah herself wasn't totally free from the possibility of being hacked and having the information stolen.

"There _is_ a risk, I won't lie to you. We think we have everything taken care of, however, we and those that follow will need to be diligent in keeping everything within our community." Ava meant shifters and Fae. Once they were gone she just had to hope that those who remained would be able to handle it.

"Forty-three years." Kate tried not to moan and leaned into her husband who wrapped an arm around her.

"We aren't stopping at the closest system, Mom. We can't afford to risk it for a number of reasons. We need to get farther out and this red dwarf system appears to have two planets for us to chose from. Once we're inside the system itself, Sarah will wake a select few of us so we can send out probes that will establish orbit and send down still more probes. Once we have that data a choice will be made and that will be our new home." Ava and several others had decided on this system and how to get there.

Thanks to Sarah they had already had multiple conversations with all of the shifter communities that Serena, Joanne, and her friends had created to combat Paladin all those centuries ago. This had been the decision that the group of them had made.

Naturally not all of them were willing to leave their home planet. The allure of a new home being populated with nothing but shifters and Fae had not been enough to sway them. Over the years there had been small problems here and there as remnants of the Paladin organization fought back. There was still fear that Paladin would find a new leader and reconstruct its infrastructure and go back to hunting down their kind with the intent of destroying them all.

"At first we will be a group of individual villas spread out all over as we start farming, mining and creating small construction sites to make what we need that we couldn't or didn't bring." Ava and the others understood that there probably wouldn't be any cities for a long time.

"Transportation of materials will be our first challenge. We have plans in place to make what we need as each villa will concentrate on different items. But we need a way to transport each to a central location so we can put the pieces together to make what we want and need. As well as move food around." Shifters who worked a lot, especially in their shifter form, needed a lot of food for their metabolism.

"It'll work, Mom. We've worked hard and we think everyone has thought of everything." Ava knew they were all going on the first ship, just that her mother had put up the biggest fight.

' _This better be the right thing to do_ _,_ _babe,'_ Kate was going with her children. As far she was concerned, it was already decided.

' _We can be_ _D_ _ragons when we want and not worry about being found out.'_ Her Dragon had even fought her over going.


	39. Chapter 39

**Evil Eyes 39**

 **Epilogue**

 _52 Years Later_

Kate was sitting on their front porch watching everything and nothing at all. Her mind was actually far away at that moment. Life hadn't been quite as hard as she had imagined. Still it wasn't as easy as it had been either.

Just like Ava had explained, they stepped into the vertical sleeping pod and went to sleep. The next thing she knew, someone was standing in front of her as she blinked open her eyes. It felt like it was just the very next day and not forty plus years later. The system itself had been designed so that it worked on shifters and Fae. What Ava didn't say was that it _only_ worked on shifters and Fae.

They had decided on a planet and plans had been already well underway to start sending people and material down to the planet. At first everyone lived in simple two room buildings until something more permanent could be built.

It had only taken a little time actually, before everyone who had come had a true home to live in. Between the shuttles they had and all of the robots, they had cut trees from far and wide with which to build log homes. They established a quarry to get stone for the fireplaces and other things.

What none of them had was individual transportation, not that it really mattered at the moment.

Their home wasn't nearly as large as their home in Wyoming had been. Where they had decided to build on this world would have all four seasons and likely get a great deal of snow during winter. The island had been nice but Kate had found that she missed having seasons.

She had cried softly and wiped at her tears as all of her daughters had obviously conspired together and had gotten married at the same time in the same location. It was a sight not to be missed as she watched her five girls get married all dressed in different white gowns. Kate had helped each of them through all of it. Finding a dress, planning the meal, flowers, invitations, and everything else.

It had only made her cry harder when she was told that the mass wedding would take place at Devils Tower. It was the same location where both her mother and her best friend had gotten married all those centuries ago. She had hugged and kissed each of them for the thought.

Their house might not be as big but it wasn't small by any measure, either. Kate had been made the matriarch of all of them. She was the oldest living Dragon and as a result she had grown in size and power. She was the de facto person to go to when there was any dispute that required a decision. There was no one who stood a chance of standing up to her, not that she thought about it that way.

A sudden movement had her laying a hand on her extended belly. She had been informed that she was pregnant yet again shortly after they arrived. The only hospital was actually in Dr. Michaela Quinn's log home. It had a small area off to one side that everyone went to when needed. However, shifters, and Fae to a lesser extent, were a healthy bunch so the doctor wasn't very busy in that capacity.

It was there that she learned that the hibernation concoction that had been used had cleaned out any human drugs that she had taken. And even after all those years, neither she or Rick could go for very long without making love to the other. In fact they had inaugurated the planet on their very first night there. Outside under the stars.

Kate was already in her second trimester and was in the _'I like being pregnant'_ phase along with a desire to make love to her husband almost constantly. Even thinking about it was getting her interested.

' _I'll be right there, love, just as soon and Jared and I finish our little project,'_ Rick said eagerly, which had her chuckling. Then a Dragon flying her way caught her interest. It was obviously a Chinese dragon as its flight was filled with twists and turns. It always appeared to her that her daughter was falling all over herself when she flew. Still she was glad that Aileen could actually fly even if it was without wings. Kate watched her glide in, land with a heavy thud, and start walking her direction. When she was close enough she shifted into her human form. Aileen had come to visit.

"Hi, Mom, be right back." Aileen stepped inside to retrieve a robe from the coat closet and came back outside to sit next to her. "You looked lost in thought." Leena had come to learn the looks her mother had.

"Just thinking back over the last number of years. How things have changed and how some things haven't, or have simply been reinvented," Kate said. Not really wanting to dwell on the past, she quickly changed the subject.

Kate inquired about her grandson. "How's Jason?" Aileen began chuckling that almost turned into a real laugh. "The little monster has found out that he has a breath weapon." She laughed at her own expense.

"Oh, no." Kate sat up straight and her daughter now had 100% of her attention.

"We're now the proud owner of a frosted chair, frosted coffee table, and a very chilly Dexter. It's a good thing that dog has so much fur. He actually took it all in stride and still loves him." Aileen was happy to have a Newfoundland for a dog. He was such a laid-back dog and was perfect for her rambunctious little monster.

"I'm still so sorry. My Dragon genes were passed on to you and your sisters." Kate felt like she was responsible for her daughter having given birth to a White Dragon. One of the two evil dragons that were in her family history.

"We'll manage fine, Mom, honest. Besides we have a giant Amethyst Dragon who can instill the fear of god into him to keep him in place. He isn't truly evil; he just doesn't know any better yet." Aileen and her husband still had their hands full with him.

Aileen changed topics. "And how's my new brother coming along?"

Kate placed a hand on her stomach; he had been and still was active. "Perfectly healthy, so far. You know I can't shift until after he's born and I'm finding that I really miss that, flying high and swimming deep in our ocean. We won't find out what he is till possibly long after he's born." Kate had been late in even knowing that she was a shifter, much less shifting. Thankfully none of her children had been.

"We'll manage without our matriarch Dragon putting her foot down. Besides we still have Dad." Rick was still the biggest Kodiak Bear on the planet. A few of the Bears from the Kodiak Community had chosen to come with them on this trip. How many others would follow? They would just have to wait and see.

"And how's your Sammie? Please tell me she's past morning sickness finally." Kate had been concerned about Sam. So far her pregnancy had been very hard on her. She could barely eat anything and when she was pregnant, she always looked to be getting thinner not bigger.

"In medical right now, actually. I just came from there. She's undergoing another treatment that helped some last time. She was told to expect to feel this way for at least a couple of more weeks. Bed rest has been the order of the day.

Sam takes to not being able to shift much like you do." Aileen chuckled at that. Sammie saw herself as a Dragon, not just Fae. As such, not being able to shift was pissing her off and having an unpleasant pregnancy only made things worse.

"I'll get your sister to take me over to see her later. Not sure what I can do, but I can try." Sam was her daughter in every way but blood. Amber may be gone but she wasn't forgotten, not by her or Sam. "Maybe Ziriadne can come up with something to help her. She or her mother." Kate was happy that Serena, with Sarah's help, had found Ziri's mom. How she ended up in Japan when her daughter ended up in Newcastle was still a mystery. Still a simple airline ticket had taken care of everything.

"Already taken care of," Aileen told her. Kate nodded her approval.

"Have you seen Ava's latest creation?" Aileen had taken pictures of it for Kate since she couldn't fly out there to see it herself. "It looks so much like that ship in that movie." Leena couldn't help but laugh at what it looked like or even how it was going to fly.

 _The saucer has a_ _lenticular_ _profile. Above there is a dome, approximately a third of the diameter of the lens. Below there is a very shallow cylinder of about the same diameter, and a somewhat smaller dome that ostensibly houses the starship's_ _faster-than-light_ _drive engine and central_ _gyroscopic_ _landing pedestal._

Kate laughed with her. "The C-57 D." She couldn't help but wonder where her daughter had gotten the idea.

It had a central circular "navigation center," with a transparent globe centered on a small model of the starship. Around this central space were a number of wedge-shaped rooms, including:

• A room with a curved table, chairs, and a space for books (presumably a galley and recreation room).

• A room with the "communications center," a chart table, and the "main viewscope."

• A room with sixteen bunk beds, with a pit and crane between it and the central area.

• A room with nine "decelerator platforms." These were used to protect the crew from the granitic affects from the transition to and from faster than light.

"She actually thinks this thing will work?" Kate knew Ava and Lexi were smart, but that smart?

"It's just a small prototype that will only accommodate just three people. But if it works, she's thinking of going back to Earth and giving the designs to New Horizon so they can build their own ship and get people here faster or wherever they want to go," Aileen said, canceling out what her mother was likely thinking. That it was bigger than what the picture showed.

The overall plan was to begin building a larger version much like the one in the movie _Forbidden Planet_ and get shifters and Fae out into space. Find out what was out there.

"So what's next?" Kate was convinced that her daughter was simply making the rounds since she herself couldn't. Transportation was mostly by shifting and moving around unless you were part of a project.

"Trying to get rid of me already?" Aileen teased and got one of her glares. "Alexis is next actually. I'm going to take one last shot at getting her to move over here with you and Dad. She really shouldn't be alone. Her son's are married and they both have their first little Bear to take care of. She needs to find someone to take care of _her._ You and Dad have the room and she needs someone." Aileen actually had no intention of taking no for an answer from her this time. So much so that her husband was off rounding up help even now so they could move her things over there.

"And your father and I would be so happy to have her." Kate was sure her husband would jump at the chance. Why he had been so silent on the topic still confused her.

' _My baby is all grown up_ _,_ _Kate. ...She's turned into a grandma right in front of my eyes. I_ _have to_ _let her decide what to do_ _._ _'_ Kate had heard his words but also felt his heart hurting. No parent wanted to see their child die before them. She and Rick had hundreds of years to go still. Eventually even Sam would be gone, too.

Losing one and then both was going to hurt mightily. Kate put her foot down. "Get her to move, whatever it takes. Pick her up and carry her if you have to." The smile on Leena's face told Kate that might be why she'd come by in the first place.

Aileen finally caved and told her mother everything. "Actually Rod's already working on moving her. He's gathered a few friends to help him. She should be here along with everything she owns and needs in a couple of hours."

Kate glared at her, annoyed that she would think that she and Rick would fight her on this decision. Aileen shrank under her glare. "I'm going to move on to my next stop. I'll be back after Alexis has been moved. I'll try and talk Ava into letting us use one of the shuttles and get Alexis over to see her little toy in person."

Kate watched her daughter run off and shift into her Dragon. _'It'll be good to have Alexis home again.'_ Kate knew that when it came time to lose one of her daughters it was going to shatter her heart. It didn't help that Serena, Joanne and the others were also long gone.

First her dad, then her mother, followed by Oscar, and then her brother. Outliving everyone she loved was devastating with the hopeful exceptions being the daughters and son she had given birth to. "You'd better be a Dragon." Kate rested a hand on her unborn son.

 _XXXXXXxxxxxXXXXXXxxxxxXXXXXXxxxxxXXXXXXxxxxxXXXXXXxxxxxXXXXXXxxxxxXXXXXXxxxxxXXXXXX_

Kate was standing next to her husband who in turn was standing right behind Alexis. Alexis looked older than she had ever seen her. It was breaking her heart already. Her Lexi was an old woman. She deserved better. Kodiak Bears had long lives, longer than any other shifter that Sarah knew about, but even they didn't have the life expectancy that a Dragon did.

All of her family was there. Daughters, husbands, her son and his girlfriend, and all of her grandchildren. The entire Rodgers clan was there to watch Ava's newest toy make its first flight. Kate had been told that it was going to be simple. Lift up off the ground and fly around a little. Nothing really. However, if it did actually work as advertised, it wasn't nothing. It was _everything._

It was sitting on its central core that was extended down to the ground. Unlike the next design it doubled as the only entrance and exit out of the craft. Soon the blue lights around the core started to glow which was followed by watching the light start to spin. They weren't actually spinning, the sequence in which lights were blinking gave the illusion that they were.

Soon the lights were blinking so fast that it was a blur and looked like a solid light. There was a feeling of a rush of air as it suddenly lifted off the ground just a little. It seemed to hover for a moment and then it started moving higher as the landing column rose up into the ship.

Kate was smiling and she could feel just what her husband was feeling. A spaceship from a movie was actually flying. A movie that Kate knew was one of Rick's favorites.

They watched it rise slowly when it seemed like it was gone, just _gone._ "What happened? Where did it go?" Kate all but screamed. Ava better not have just died in front of her eyes or she was going to lose it.

She turned to look at Aileen who had a finger over her earpiece while she conveyed what she heard. "Ava says they're in space and already on their way to our sister planet. The power systems and flight controls are a little more powerful and touchy than she had planned for. She's heading back now."

Kate sagged in relief against her husband. Then she started laughing. "It worked, it actually worked." She had faith in her daughter but what she was trying to do was literally science fiction. She thought them just getting there in the first place had been science fiction.

"Way to go, Ava!" Alexis looked up to see if she could see it returning. "Where is she?" Alexis asked worriedly. She should be back by now. She turned to look at her sister and saw her place a finger against her earpiece.

Aileen looked exasperated. "She's circling the planet first before landing back here." Leena was definitely going to give her sister a piece of her mind for that stunt.

"So one more year of testing and then build a bigger version," Kate murmured. Life was changing yet again. It was a moment in history and they were living it and seeing it. If the testing went well and the drive worked, they could reach other systems.

"You think Serena and the others ever dreamed of this?" Kate questioned softly.

"If she was here she would be up there fighting Ava for the pilot's seat," Sam replied with conviction. Serena had done so much for her. Her last gift had been Sarah and she was still a big part of all of this. "Her great grandchildren are just over there." Sam nodded to a small group that Kate knew were Mountain Lions.

They weren't related by blood to either her or Joanne, still her friends had had children who in turn had had children and had helped them get there. They were even part of the tree cutting crew that gave them the logs for their homes.

"Yeah, I think she knows," Sam said quietly. Then she heard a voice that she hadn't heard in untold years. Not since she was trying to get to that fishing pole to kill the monster that was trying to kill her mother.

' _I'm proud of you, honey. I'll always be proud of you.'_


End file.
